IMAGE  EVALUATION 
TEST  TARGET  (MT-S) 


A 


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V 


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1^  IS^ 


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Hiotographic 

Sciences 

Corporation 


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2S  V/!5SirMAIM?1REET 

WEBSTER,  i4..  USSO 

(716)  872-4503 


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iP 


CIHM/ICMH 

Microfiche 

Series. 


CIHM/ICMH 
Collection  de 
microfiches. 


Canadian  Institute  for  Historical  Microreproductions  /  Institut  Canadian  de  microreproductions  historiques 


■? 


Technical  and  Bibliographic  Notes/Notes  techniques  et  bibliographiques 


The  Institute  has  attempted  to  obtain  the  best 
original  copy  available  for  filming.  Features  of  this 
copy  which  may  be  bibliographically  unique, 
which  may  alter  any  of  the  images  in  the 
reproduction,  or  which  may  significantly  change 
the  usual  method  of  filming,  are  checked  below. 


D 


Coloured  covers/ 
Couvurture  de  couleur 


I      I    Covers  damaged/ 


n 


Couverture  endommag^e 

Covers  restored  and/or  laminated/ 
Couverture  restaur^e  et/ou  pellicul6e 


I      I    Cover  title  missing/ 


D 
D 


Le  titre  de  couverture  manque 

Coloured  maps/ 

Cartes  gdographiques  en  couleur 

Coloured  inic  (i.e.  other  than  blue  or  blacit)/ 
Encre  de  couleur  (i.e.  autre  que  bleus  ou  noire) 


I      I    Coloured  plates  and/or  illustrations/ 


D 
D 


D 


D 


Planches  et/ou  illustrations  en  couleur 

Bound  with  other  material/ 
Reli6  avec  d'autres  documents 

Tight  binding  may  cause  shadows  or  distortion 
along  interior  margin/ 

La  reliure  serr^e  peut  causer  de  I'ombre  ou  de  la 
distortion  le  long  de  la  marge  intdrieure 

Blank  leaves  added  during  restoration  may 
appear  within  the  text.  Whenever  possible,  these 
have  been  omitted  from  filming/ 
II  se  peut  que  certaines  pages  blanches  ajoutdes 
lors  d'une  restauration  apparaissent  dans  le  texte, 
mais,  lorsque  cela  6tait  possible,  ces  pages  n'ont 
pas  6ti  filmies. 

Additional  comments:/ 
Commentaires  suppldmentaires; 


L'Institut  a  microfilm^  le  meilleur  exemplaire 
qu'il  lui  a  dt6  possible  de  se  procurer.  Les  details 
de  cet  exemplaire  qui  sont  peut-dtre  uniques  du 
point  de  vue  bibliographique,  qui  peuvent  modifier 
une  image  reproduite,  ou  qui  peuvent  exiger  une 
modification  dans  la  mdthode  normale  de  filmage 
sont  indiquds  ci-dessous. 


I      I    Coloured  pages/ 


Pages  de  couleur 

Pages  damaged/ 
Pages  endommag6es 


I      I    Pages  restored  and/or  laminated/ 


Pages  restauries  et/ou  pelliculdes 


Iti  F 


Pages  discoloured,  stained  or  foxed/ 
Pages  dicolorbds,  tachetdes  ou  piqudes 


I      I    Pages  detached/ 


Pages  ddtachdes 

Showthrough/ 
Transparence 

Quality  of  prir 

Quality  indgale  de  I'impression 

□    Includes  supplementary  material/ 
Comprend  du  materiel  supplementaire 


rrV  Showthrough/ 

I      I    Quality  of  print  varies/ 


D 
D 


Only  edition  available/ 
Seule  Edition  disponible 

Pages  wholly  or  partially  obscured  by  errata 
slips,  tissues,  etc.,  have  been  refilmed  to 
ensure  the  best  possible  image/ 
Les  pages  totalement  ou  par'iiellement 
obscurcies  par  un  feuillet  d'errata,  une  pelure, 
etc..  ont  6X6  film6es  6  nouveau  de  faqon  d 
obtenir  la  meilleure  image  possible. 


( 
t 
t 

s 
c 

f 

s 
a 


T 

s 
T 

M 

d 

ei 
b 
ri 
re 
rr 


This  item  is  filmed  at  the  reduction  ratio  checked  below/ 

Ce  document  est  film6  au  taux  de  reduction  indiqui  ci-dessous. 

10X  14X  18X  22X 


y 


12X 


16X 


20X 


26X 


30X 


24X 


28X 


n 

32X 


Th«  copy  filmad  h«r«  has  b««n  r«produc«d  thitnks 
to  tho  gonarosity  of: 

Library  Division 

Provincial  Archives  of  British  Columbia 


L'axamplaira  filmA  fut  raproduit  grAca  i  la 
ginArosit*  da: 

Library  Division 

Provincial  Archives  of  British  Columbia 


Tha  imagai  appaaring  hara  ara  tha  bast  quality 
posslbia  conaidaring  tha  condition  and  lagibility 
of  tha  original  copy  and  in  kaaping  with  tha 
filming  ccntract  spacificationa. 


Las  imagas  suivantas  ont  iti  raproduitas  avac  la 
plus  grand  soin,  compta  tanu  da  la  condition  at 
da  la  nattat*  da  l'axamplaira  film*,  at  an 
conformity  avac  las  conditions  du  contrat  da 
filmaga. 


Original  copias  in  printad  papar  covars  ara  filmad 
baginning  with  tha  front  covar  and  anding  on 
tha  last  paga  with  a  printad  or  illustratad  impras- 
sion,  or  tha  back  covar  whan  appropriata.  All 
othar  original  copias  ara  filmad  baginning  on  tha 
first  paga  with  a  printad  or  illustratad  impras- 
sion,  and  anding  on  tha  last  paga  with  a  printad 
or  illustratad  imprassion. 


Las  axamplairaa  originaux  dont  la  couvartura  9n 
papiar  ast  imprimis  sont  fiimAs  an  commandant 
par  la  pramiar  plat  at  •n  tarminant  soit  par  la 
darniira  paga  qui  comporta  una  amprainta 
d'imprassion  ou  d'illustration,  soit  par  la  sacond 
plat,  salon  la  cas.  Tous  las  autras  axamplairaa 
originaux  sont  filmis  an  commandant  par  la 
pramiAra  paga  qui  comporta  una  amprainta 
d'imprassion  ou  d'illustration  at  an  tarminant  par 
la  darniire  paga  qui  comporta  una  talla 
amprainta. 


Tha  last  racordad  frame  on  each  microfiche 
shall  contain  the  symbol  — »■  (meaning  "CON- 
TINUED"), or  the  symbol  ▼  (meaning  'END '). 
whichever  applies. 


Un  das  symbolas  suivants  apparaitra  sur  la 
JarniAre  image  de  cheque  microfiche,  selon  le 
cas:  le  symbols  ^^-  signifie  "A  SUIVRE",  le 
symbols  V  signifie  "FIN". 


Maps,  plates,  charts,  etc.,  may  be  filmed  at 
different  reduction  ratios.  Those  too  large  to  be 
entirely  included  in  one  exposure  are  filmed 
beginning  in  the  uppsr  left  hand  corner,  left  to 
right  and  top  to  bottom,  as  many  frames  as 
required.  The  following  diagrams  illustrate  the 
method: 


Les  cartes,  planches,  tableaux,  etc..  peuvent  Atre 
filmAs  A  des  taux  de  reduction  diffArents. 
Lorsque  le  document  est  trop  grand  pour  Atre 
reproduit  en  un  seul  clichA.  il  est  filmA  A  partir 
de  I'sngla  supArieur  gauche,  de  gauche  k  droite, 
et  de  haut  en  bas.  en  prenant  le  nombre 
d'images  nicessaira.  Las  diagrammas  suivants 
illustrent  la  methods. 


1  2  3 


32X 


1 

2 

3 

4 

1 

5 

6 

«t\ 


ARCTIC 


EXPLORATIONS    AND    DISCOVERIES 


DURING  THE  NINETEENTH  CENTURY. 


BEINO    DETAILED     iCOOUNTS    OF    THE 


SEVERAL  EXPEDITIONS  TO  THE  NORTH  SEAS. 


jtoTU  ij:n(»limr  and  American,  conouctkd  by 


BOSS,  PAHBY.  BACK,  FRANKLIN,  M'CLUHE,  DU.  KANB«  AND  OTHKRi, 


INCLUDINO   THB  lA)NQ  AND  FROITLBMH 


EFFORTS  AND  FAILURES 


IN 


SEARCIi  OF  SIR  JOHN  FRANKI^IN. 


EDITED    AND    COMPLETED    TO    1855. 


BY 


SAMUEL,  M.  SMUCKER,  A.  M., 

AUTHOR    OK    "court  AND   REIQN  OF  CATHERINK  It,"     "NICHOLAS    I,"    "  MKK* 
ORABL.B  BCUNKS    IN   FRENCH    HISTORY,"   "  HI8TORY  OK  THE  MORMONS,"  ETC. 


WITH  A  CONTINUATION  TO  THTti  YEAB  1886. 


By  WM.  h.  ALLISON. 


Copyright  1886, 

By 
WM.  L.  ALLISON. 


/ 


PUBI^ISHER'S  PREFACE. 


In  offering  this  account  of  Arctic  explorations 
to  the  public  in  a  new  form,  and  with  tlie  narra- 
tive continued  from  1857,  where  Dr.  Smucker  left 
off,  down  to  the  year  1886,  the  publisher  aims  to 
present  a  history  of  discoveries  in  the  Ice  Zones 
during  the  present  century  more  complete  and 
interesting  to  the  general  reader  than  any  other 
that  can  be  found  in  a  single  volume.  Although 
the  literature  of  Arctic  adventure  would  forma 
library  in  itself,  yet  there  is  no  other  book  which 
presentt:^  a  continuous  narrative  of  the  various 
expeditio.  s,  from  the  beginning  of  the  nine- 
teenth ceu>  iiry  to  the  present  time:  and  the  vo- 
luminous works  which  have  been  published  by 
the  different  explorers  cover  detached  periods 
and  single  expeditions,  beside  being  drawn  out 
to  undue  length  by  the  personal  experience  or 
interests  of  the  writers.  It  is  believed  that  this 
compendious  narrative  gives  all  needful  details, 
and  omits  no  important  discovery  in  the  ice-belts 
— while  no  individual  adventurer  or  commander 
is  exalted  at  the  expense  of  his  forerunners  or 
compeers. 

The  disasters  which  overtook  so  many  ex- 
plorers, especially  the  parties  of  De  Long  and 
Greeley,  led  to  the  abandonment  of  the  Interna- 
tional Signal  Stations  established  in  concert  by 
most  civilized  nations,  and  no  scientific  circum- 
polar  expeditions  have  been  recently  sent  out. 
Except  the  projected  journey  of  Col.  Gilder  an- 
nounced in  the  last  pages  of  this  volume  the 
only  efforts  which  have  been  made  within  the 
last  two  years,  or  which  appear  to  be  in  contem- 
plation, to  add  to  our  knowledge  of  the  Arctic  re- 
gions, are  the  following: 


ll'346a 


PROViNCiAu.  Li^i.-^AHY 
VICTOrilA,  B.  0. 


ir 


PUBLISHER^  PRBFACE. 


Russia  has  observers  stationed  on  the  shores 
of  the  Arctic  Ocean  in  Siberia — in  the  Lena  Delta, 
along  the  Yana  River,  and  in  the  New  Siberian 
Islands  where  De  Long  s  party  landed  on  their 
way  to  starvation,  cold  and  death. 

Denmark  is  still  at  work  surveying  her  Green- 
land coasts;  while  Civil  Engineer  Peary,  of  the 
United  States  Navy,  is  preparing  to  penetrate 
the  frozen  wastes  of  Greenland,  hitherto  un- 
trodden, far  inland,  by  any  explorer  except 
Nordenskiold's  Lapps,  who,  in  1883,  forced  their 
way  about  200  miles  inland  in  the  latitude  of 
Disco,  where  they  found  the  ice  6,000  feet  above 
the  sea,  and  still  rising  toward  the  east.  It  is 
thought  that  this  ice  mantle  covers  the  whole 
interior  of  Greenland  to  a  thickness  of  from 
1,000  to  3,000  feet.  Mr.  Peary  proposes  to  enter 
Greenland  at  the  great  Omenak  fiord,  and  to  travel 
east  a  little  north  of  the  route  followed  by  Nor- 
DENSKiOLD,  Until  he  reaches  the  head  of  Franz 
Josef  fiord,  on  the  east  coast,  where  Petermann's 
Peak  rises  11,000  feet  above  the  ice-beleaguered 
sea.  If  he  reache?  this  point,  he  may  be  able  to 
determine  the  ice  conditions  of  the  island  from 
thv5  west  to  the  east  coasts.  Lieutenant  Holm, 
the  Danish  traveler,  found  on  the  east  coast  of 
Greenland  a  hitherto  unknown  tribe  of  Eskimos. 
Dr.  Boas  in  i883-'84,  made  several  excursions 
along  the  coast  and  in  the  interior  of  Baffin  Land, 
and  he  divides  the  Eskimos  of  that  region  into 
seven  stems,  which  show  considerable  differ- 
ences in  dialect,  religious  customs  and  habits. 
His  miap  is  the  first  that  records  the  native 
names  of  hundreds  of  localities,  beside  correct- 
ing many  errors  in  previous  charts. 

There  are  extensive  regions  in  the  Arctic  that 
civilized  men  have  never  seen.  Though  the 
blight  of  perpetual  winter  reigns  there,  undis- 
turbed except  by  slight  glimpses  of  summer, 
yet  it  is  a  wonderful  archipelago  of  islands,  bays, 


U 


PUBLISHER  S  PREFACE. 


:3. 


^S. 


gfulfs,  sounds,  inlets,  straits  and  seas.  There 
are  extensive  tracts  and  coast  lines  which  are 
almost  a  blank  on  the  map  of  North  America. 
King  William  Land  is  but  little  known;  Boothia, 
where  tlie  magnetic  pole  is  supposed  to  be 
located,  is  only  a  name  on  an  unfamiliar  chart; 
and  when  the  traveler  has  passed  through  the 
Gulf  of  Boothia  past  Bellot  Strait  into  Regent  In- 
let and  Lancaster  Sound,  and  beyond  it  into 
North  Levon,  North  Lincoln  and  EUesmere 
Land,  he  will  have  entered  an  unknown  region 
which,  stretching  northwest  and  westward  to 
Arthur  Land  (discovered  and  named  by  Greeley) 
will  rewrird  his  daring  with  the  meod  of  renown, 
if  he  sV' all  succeed  in  its  exploitation.  Though 
no  important  additions  may  be  made  to  our 
geographical  or  ethnological  knowledge — yet  an 
accurate  map  of  that  extensive  coast  and  nest 
of  islands,  waters  and  ice-fields;  and  a  descrip- 
tion of  the  natives,  animals,  grasses,  or  whatever 
other  signs  of  life,  animate  or  inanimate,  that 
exist  there,  would  be  of  manifest  advantage  to 
the  world.  The  individual  explorers  who  volun- 
tarily leave  the  haunts  of  civilized  men  to 
penetrate  the  inhospitable  wilds  and  outskirts 
of  the  earth,  will  earn  and  receive  greater  honor 
than  those  who  go  at  the  beck  of  authority  or 
under  the  auspices  of  any  government.  The 
renown  of  all  great  travelers  has  been  achieved 
without  the  aid  of  national  appropriations  to 
defray  their  expenses,  guard  their  lives,  and  in- 
sure their  safe  return — while  the  greatest  disas- 
ters have  attended  expeditions  which  have  been 
fitted  out  with  elaborate  preparations  by  great 
naval  power.  Col.  Gilder,  it  may  be,  will  stand 
a  better  chance  of  life  if  accompanied  only  by 
the  Eskimos  of  Hudson  Bay,  and  living  on  the 
game  resdiirces  of  the  country — and  may  thus 
reach  a  farther  North — ^than  if  he  were  attended 
by  well-manned,  provisioned  and  armored  ships- 


vi 


PUBLISHERS  PREFACE. 


That  a  numerous  party  not  inured  to  the  rigors 
of  the  climate,  and  requiring  iuborious  exertions 
to  supply  them  with  food,  is  not  fitted  for  Arctic 
explorations,  has  been  proved  by  the  wJiole  his- 
tory of  adventures  in  that  region.  A  few  years 
since  the  natives  made  a  successful  overland 
journey  of  over  3,000  miles,  with  Lieut.  Schwatka 
and  Col.  Gilder,  from  Hudson  Bay  to  King  William 
Land,  and  back  again  without  the  loss  of  a  life. 
Another  attempt  may  be  crowned  with  still 
greatersuccess,.  and  enable  this  hardy  explorer 
to  pierce  the  very  centre  of  the  Pole,  and  to 
write  his  name  higher  up  on  the  scroll  of  fame 
than  any  of  tlie  illustrious  navigators  who  have 
boldly  gone  into  the  Arctic  night  to  die,  or  to 
suffer  there  and  return. 

Since  the  U.  S.  Signal  Station  at  Point  Barrow, 
Alaska,  was  abandoned,  by  act  of  Congress,  the 
United  States  Government  has  done  comparative- 
ly nothing  to  explore  and  develop  our  own  Arctic 
territory  of  Alaska,  so  rich  in  fisheries,  furs, 
timbers  i  nines.  But  The  New  York  Times — 
following-  ..e  notable  example  of  The  Herald^ 
which  sent  Stanley  to  Africa  in  search  of  Living- 
ston, and  gave  to  the  United  States  the  unfortu- 
nate/ea«we//tf,  in  which  De  Long  vainly  attempted 
to  penetrate  the  Arctic  Ocean  by  wayof  Behring's 
Straits — has  recently  dispatched  (from  Washing- 
ton Territory),  Lieut.  Frederick  Schwatka,  and 
Prof.  William  Libbey,  Jr.,  of  Princeton  College, 
N.  J.,  to  explore  for  that  journal  the  vSt.  Elias 
Alps  of  Alaska.  When  they  arrive  at  Sitka  they 
will  organize  an  expedition  of  white  men  and 
Indian  guides,  interpreters  and  laborers,  and 
spend  the  rest  of  the  summer  in 
endeavors  to  explore  the  interior  and  ascend 
Mount  Elias.  Attention  will  be  directed  to  the 
native  tribes  of  Alaska,  from  whom  it'^  is  antici- 
pated much  information  of  interest  to  ethnolo- 
gists may  be  derived.     The  main  object  of  the 


publisher's  prefacb. 


vtt 


ege, 

Uias 

they 

and 

and 
in 
cend 

the 
tici- 
lolo- 

the 


expedition,  however,  is  geographical  exploration 
in  the  St.  Elias  Alps,  and  the  collection  of  such 
scientific  and  commercial  information  about  the 
products  and  resources  of  Alaska  as  may  be  of 
value  to  the  public. 

W.  U  A. 
New  York,  /une  29,  1886.  * 


,<- 


I, 


PREFACE. 


The  records  of  maritime  adventure  and  discovery  con- 
stitute one  of  the  most  attractive  pages  in  literature. 
Nearly  three  thousand  years  before  the  birth  of  Christ, 
the  bold  Tyrians  and  Phoenicians  deserted  the  confines  of 
their  native  continent  to  explore  new  realms,  and  to  ob- 
tain from  the  then  unknown  land  of  Spain,  tb«*  means  of 
augmented  splendor,  luxury  and  wealth.  From  ihat  re- 
mote period,  down  through  succeeding  ages  until  the 
present,  the  most  enterprising  and  daun^Teis  of  human 
spirits  have  found  their  congenial  field  of  labor  and  ac- 
tivity in  adventuring  into  untrodden  and  unfamiliar  re- 
gions in  search  of  riches,  celebrity  and  conquest. 

It  was  this  spirit  which  has  in  the  past  given  birth  to 
niany  great  states  and  empires.  It  was  this  spirit  which 
planted  Carthage  on  the  northern  shores  of  Africa,  and 
eventur.  iy  rendered  her  the  dangerous  and  not  unworthy 
rival  of  Kome.  It  was  this  spirit  which  built  Marseilles, 
Aries,  Nismes,  and  many  of  the  most  important  cities  of 
France,  which  contain  to  this  day  Impressive  monuments 
of  Boman  origin  and  supremacy.  It  was  this  spirit  which 
made  England  pass  successively  under  the  resistless  sway 
of  her  Roman,  Saxon,  Danish  and  Norman  conquerors. 
But  more  especially  was  it  this  restless  and  Insatiable 
genius  of  adventure  which  created  the  greatness  of  the 
chief  maritime  cities  of  modern  Italy,  of  Genoa  and  Ven- 
ice, as  well  as  that  of  the  kingdom  of  Portugal  and  Spain. 
To  this  same  desire  for  discovery  the  world  is  indebted 
for  the  glorious  achievements  of  Columbus,  Vespuclus, 
and  De  Soto ;  and  for  the  revelation  of  the  magnificent 


k 


I 


ii!! 


liii 


Z  PRSFACB. 

novelties  and  unparalleled  beauties  of  these  western  con- 
tinents, laden  wiiii  the  most  valuable  treasures  and 
products  of  the  earth,  which  they  threw  open  to  the 
knowledge  and  the  possession  of  mankind. 

After  the  discovery  of  the  American  continents,  and  aft- 
er the  thorough  exploration  of  the  Southern  and  Pacific 
creans,  it  was  generally  supposed  that  the  materials  for 
further  adventures  of  this  description  had  all  been  ex- 
hausted. The  whole  habitable  globe  seemed  then  to 
have  been  made  accessible  and  familiar  to  men,  both  as 
apostles  of  science  and  as  emissaries  of  commerce.  It 
was  thought  that  the  era  of  maritime  discovery,  the  days 
of  Vasco  de  Gama,  of  Marco  Polo,  and  of  Sydney,  had 
ended  forever.  But  this  supposition  was  erroneous.  One 
additional  field  of  this  description  yet  remained.  It  was 
indeed  a  gloomy  and  repulsive  one.  It  was  totally  de- 
void of  the  attractive  and  romantic  splendors  which  in 
other  days  had  allured  men  to  sail  through  tranquil 
oceans  to  fragrant  islands,  which  bloomed  like  gardens  on 
the  bosom  of  summer  seas ;  or  to  continents  which  were 
covered  with  the  richness  of  tropical  vegetation  aud  luxu- 
riance, and  were  stored  with  spices,  gold,  and  gems.  But 
it  was  a  field  which  demanded  greater  heroism,  greater 
endurance,  and  was  fraught  with  greater  perils,  than  any 
other  department  of  discovery.  This  region  lay  far  up 
toward  the  northern  Pole.  It  was  the  vast  frozen  land 
of  everlasting  snowflelds,  of  stupendous  icebergs,  of 
hyperborean  storms,  of  the  long,  cheerless  nights  of  the 
Arctic  Zone.  To  navigate  and  explore  these  dismal 
realms,  men  of  extreme  daring,  of  sublime  fortitude,  of 
unconquerable  perseverance,  were  absolutely  necessary. 
And  such  men  possessed  one  great  element  of  distinguish- 
ing greatness,  of  which  the  explorers  of  more  genial  and 


PREFACE. 


inviting  climes  were  destitute.  Their  investigations  were 
made  entirely  witbioiit  ttio  prospect  of  rich  reward,  and 
chiefly  for  the  promotion  of  the  magnificent  ends  of 
science.  The  discovery  of  a  north-western  passage  was 
indeed  not  forgotten ;  but  it  must  be  conceded  that  other 
less  mercenary  and  more  philanthropic  motives  have 
given  rise  to  the  larger  portion  of  the  expeditions  which, 
during  the  progress  of  the  nineteenth  century,  have  in- 
vaded the  cheerless  solitudes  of  that  dangerous  and  re- 
pulsive portion  of  the  globe. 

The  following  pages  contain  a  narrative  of  the  chief 
adventures  and  discoveries  of  Arctic  explorers  during 
this  century.  No  expedition  of  any  importance  has  been 
omitted ;  and  the  work  has  been  brought  down  in  its  de- 
tails to  the  nreseut  time,  so  as  to  include  a  satisfactory 
account  of  the  labors,  sufferings  and  triumphs  of  that 
prince  of  Arctic  explorers  and  philanthropists,— Dr.  Kane ; 
whose  adventures,  and  whose  able  narrative  of  them,  en- 
title him  to  fadeless  celebrity,  both  as  a  hero  in  the  field, 
and  as  a  man  of  high  genius  and  scholarship. 

Every  reader  who  carefully  peruses  the  following  pages 
must  be  convinced  that  the  Arctic  hemisphere  has 
now  been  thoroughly  explored.  Every  accessible  spot 
has  been  visited  and  examined  by  v.  me  one  or  other 
of  the  various  expeditions  which  have  been  sent  out ;  and 
that  vast  extent  of  countries  and  of  seas  uich  intervene 
from  Smith's  Sound  and  "Wolstenholme  Sound  in  the  ex- 
treme east,  being  the  remotest  northern  limits  of  Green- 
land, to  the  Avestward  as  far  as  to  Behring's  Straits,  which 
divide  America  from  Asia,  has  been  examined.  These 
limits  inclose  an  area  of  about  four  thousand  miles,  every 
attainable  portion  of  which  has  been  subjected  to  the 
scrutiny  of  recent  Arctic  explorers.    It  can  scarcely  be  ex- 


Xll 


PR£FAC£. 


pected  that  any  traces  of  the  existence  and  fate  of  Sir  John 
Franklin  still  remain  on  the  globe,  which  further  perse- 
verance and  research  could  possibly  reveal.  Even  if  the 
great  chapter  of  Arctic  discovery  and  adventure  should 
now  be  closed,  it  will  constitute  one  of  the  most  remark- 
able and  entertaining  departments  of  human  heroism, 
enterprise  and  endurance,  which  biography  or  history 
presents. 


ii'n 


CONTENTS. 


Introductory  Bemarks >  >  % .  kSI 

Little  known  ot  tbe  Arctic  Regions— Notice  of  Capt.  PhippB'  Voyage— Parry's 
and  Franklin's  oplnionn  on  a  northwest  nassagre— Abstract  of  Sir  John  Bar- 
row's works  on  Arctic  Dibcovery— England's  neglect  of  ber  nautical  heroes. 

Captain  Sir  John  Ross' Voyage  in  the  Isabella  and  Alexander  to 
Hudson's  Bay  in  1818 87 

Names  of  the  ofHcers  and  men— Ships  visited  by  the  natives  of  Qreenland— 
Abundance  of  birds  on  this  coast— Gale  of  wind— Red  Rnow— Lancaster  Sonnd- 
The  fabulous  Croker  mountaius— Agnes  monument--Large  liear  shot— Return 
home. 

Voyage  of  Buobau  and  Franlcliu  in  the  Dorothea  and  Trent,  to 

Bpitzbergen,  etc.,  1818 45 

Names  of  ofllcers  and  complement,  etc— Fanciful  appearance  of  iceberea— 
Bhipsarrive  at  Spitzberaen— Anchor  in  Mivgdal<>n  Bay— ilanging  icebergs— Inu- 
oiense  flocks  of  birds— Dangerous  ascent  of  Uotge  Ilil i— Attack  of  walruses- 
Surprised  by  unlooked-for  visitors— Devout  feeling  of  recluses— Expedition 
puts  to  sea  again- Party  lose  themselves  un  the  ice— Ships  damaged  by  tbe 
pressure  of  the  floes— Dangerous  position  of  the  ships— They  take  refuge  In 
the  main  pack  of  Icebergs— Vessels  put  into  Fair  Haven  to  stop  leaks  and 
refit- Return  uome. 

Franklin's  First  Land  Expedition,  181&-21 61 

Party  leave  England  in  the  Prince  of  Wales— Reach  Hudson's  Bay  factory  by 
the  end  of  August— Proceed  by  the  rivers  and  lakes  to  Cumberland  House- 
Arrive  at  Fort  Chipewyan  after  a  winter  Journey  of  867  miles— Engage  voya- 
geursand  guides— Make  the  :u;quaintauce ot  Akaitcho,  the  Indian.chlef— Push 
on  forFort  Enterprise,  which  is  mmle  their  winter  resideijce  after  a  vovdgeot 
663  miles- Exploruiji  excursions  carried  ondurliig  the  winter-"  Green  Stock- 
ings, "the  Indian  beauty— Stores  and  Esquiuiaux  interpreters  arrive— Severity 
of  the  winter— Sufferings  of  the  Indinns— Party  set  out  for  the  I'olar  Sea-Ex- 
amine the  coast  westward  of  Point  Turnagain— Dreadful  hardships  and  suffer- 
ings endured  on  their  return  Journey,  from  famine  and  fatigue— Death  of  sev- 
eral ot  the  party— Mr  Hood  is  murdered  by  Michel  the  Iroquois,  who,  for  their 
mutual  safety,  is  killed  by  J)r.  Richardson— Hunger  and  famine  endured  by  the 
party— Their  uliimate  relief. 

Parry's  First  Voyage  in  the  Hecla  and  Griper,  1819-30 86 

Names  of  ofllcers  serving,  etc.  -Enter  Lancaster  Sound— The  Croker  moun- 
tain prove  to  be  fallacious— Parry  discuveiH  and  enters  Regent  Inlet— Also  dis- 
covers and  names  various  Islands,  capes  and  channels— Reaches  Melville  Isl- 
and—Expedition  cros  ihe  meridian  of  110"  W.  and  become  entitled  to  tbe 
Pailiamentary  reward  of  £50t)0— Drop  anchor  for  the  first  time— Land  on  the 
Island— Abundance  of  animals  found— An  exploring  party  lose  themselves  (or 
threedays,  but  are  recovered  and  brought  back— Vesselsgetinto  winter  quar- 
ters-A  MS.  newspaper  published— Amateur  |>lay.<^  performed— Observatory  de- 
Htroyed  by  fire- Scurvy  makes  itsappearance— Cm  ws  put  on  short  allowance— 
An  excursion  of  a  fortnight  made  to  examine  the  island— Ships  get  clear  ot  the 
ice— But  are  unable  to  make  further  progress  to  the  westward,  and  their  return 
to  ifiugland  is  determined  on,^^ —  -  • — 

\ 


XIV 


C0NTE;N,f8. 


1!! 


Parry 's  Seoond  Vdy  ag©  in  th©  Fury  and  Hecla,  1821-23 101 

His  opinion  an  to  a  north  weal  |m98ag:tB— Make  IlPsolutlon  Tslaiul,  at  the  en- 
trance of  Hudson's  Straii— DanRc^rs  mi  the  ice— Fall  in  with  Hudson's  Bay 
Company 'SBbips,  and  emigrant  vesselj  with  Dutch  colonists  proceedhiK  toRed 
Blver— "Two  immense  bears  killed— Description  of  the  p]squinjaux— Surveys 
madeof  all  the  indentations  and  coasts  oi  tfiis  locality— Ships  driven  back  by 
the  current  and  drift-ice— Take  up  their  winter  quarters— And  resort  to  the- 
atrical amusements  again— Schools  estabished— Great  severity  ol  the  winter— 
Surveying  operations  resumed— IntelliKeut  E5)quimanx  female  aft'ordH  valuable 
hydrograj)hlcal  information— Perilous  position  of  the  Heda— Her  miraculous 
release- Shij>«  pass  their  second  winter  at  Jeloolik- The  Fury  and  Hecia  Strait 
examined— Ice  breaks  up— Ships  driven  about  by  tlie  current  for  thirty-five 
days— At  last  gain  the  Atlantic  and  make  for  Kngland. 

Clavering'8  Voyage  to  Spitzberjren  and  Greenland  in  the  Grip- 
er,  18a3 136 

Conveys  ont  Capt. Sabine  to  make  observation- Reach  SpitzberKen— Proceed 
thence  to  Pendulum  islaiifis— 'Northeastern  coast  of  Greenland  surveyed— Cap- 
tain Claverlng  and  a  party  of  nineteen  men  carry  on  an  exploring  expedition 
forafortnlKht— Meet  with  a  tribe  of  Esquimaux— Ship  puts  to  sea— Make  for 
the  coast  ol  Norway— Anchor  in  Drontheim  Fiord— Observations  being  com- 
pleted, ship  returns  to  England. 

Lyon's  Voyage  in  tlie  Griper 138 

Is  sent  to  survey  and  examine  the  straits  and  shores  of  Arctic  America— Ar- 
rives in  tlie  channel  known  as  Koo's  Welcome— P]ncoiinters  a  terrific  gale— Is 
Inlmminentdanger  in  the  Bay  of  Ood's  Mercy— Sufters  from  another  fearful 
storm— The  ship  being  quite  crippled,  and  having  lost  all  her  anchors,  etc.,  is 
obliged  to  return  home. 

Parry's  Third  Voyage  ia  the  Hecla  and  Fury,  1834^35 130 

Names  and  number  of  the  offlcera,  etc.— Hecla  laid  on  her  broadside  by  the 
Ice— Ships  reach  Lancaster  Sound— Enter  Regent  Inlet,  and  winter  at  Port 
Bowen— Dreary  character  of  the  arctic  winter— Former  amusements  worn 
threadbare— Polar  Ba  Masque  got  up— Exploring  parties  sent  of  inland  and 
along  the  coast— Ships  are  released,  but  beset  by  the  ice,  and  carried  by  the 
pack  down  the  inlet— Fury  drl/en  on  shore  and  abandoned— Return  voyage 
necessarily  determined  on— Scarcity  of  animal  fotHl  In  this  locality— Hecla  ar- 
rives 0  ^  Peterhead-  Parr3''8  opinion?  of  the  northwest  passage. 

Fran]£lin'8  Seoond  Land  Expedition,  1835-36 137 

Names  olthe  officers  accompanying  him— Arrive  in  New  York  and  proceed 
through  the  Hudson's  Bay  Company's  territories- Winter  at  Fort  Franklin  on 
Great  Bear  Lake— A  pioneer  party  proceeds  to  examine  the  state  of  the  Polar 
Sea— Return  and  pasp  the  long  winter— Descend  the  Mackenzie  in  the  spring- 
Party  divide;  Franklin  and  Back  proceeding  to  the  westward, while  Dr. 
Richardson  and  Mr.  Kendal,  etc..  follow  the  Coppermine  River— Franklin  en- 
counters a  fierce  tribe  of  Esquimaux  at  the  sea— Aftw  a  month's  survey  to  the 
eastward,  Fran>:lin  and  his  party  retrace  :heir  step.?— Find  Richardson  and 
Kendal  bad  returned  before  t}iem,after  reaching  and  exploring  Dolphin  andUnion 
Strait— Another  winter  spent  at  Fore  Franklin— Inten.sity  of  the  cold— Large 
collection  of  objects  of  natural  history  made  by  Mr.  Drummond— Franklin's 
struggle  between  atfeciion  and  duty— Party  return  to  England. 

Captain  Beeohey's  Voyage  to   Behring's  Strait    in  tho  Blos- 
som, 1835-36 140 

Anchors  off  Petropanlowski- Receives  Intelligence  cf  Parry's  safe  return- 
Interview  with  the  natives— Correct  bydrographical  descriptions  given  by  the 
Esquimaux— Ship's  boat  pushes  on  to  the  eastward  as  far  asPoint  Barrow,  to 
communicate  with  Franklin-Crew  in  danger  from  the  natives -Obliged  tore- 
turn  totheirships— The  Blossom  proceeds  t.»  the  Pacific,  to  replenish  her  pro- 
visions-Returns to  Kotzebue  Sound  In  the  jummer-Ship  grounds  on  a  sand- 
bank, but  is  got  off- Boat  sen*  out  to  learn  tidings  of  Franklin,  is  wrecked- 
Crew  come  Into  collision  with  hostile  natives,  and  are  wounded ;  p  eked  up  by 
the  ship— Dispatches  left  for  Franklin,  and  the  ship  returns  to  England. 

Parry's  Fourth  or  Polar  Voyage  in  the  Heola,  1837 144 

Plans  and  irnggestlons  of  Scoresby,  Beauroy  and  Franklin  for  traveling  in 
dedgesovertheice- Namesof  the  ofTlcers  emploved—ShIn  embarks  reindeer 
on  tne  Norway  coast— Experiences  a  tremendous  gale— Beset  by  ice  for  a 
mouth— AnchorB  at  Spltzbergen— Sledge-boats  prepared  for  the  ice  Journey-- 
P«BOrlption  of  them— Night  turned  into  day-Slow  progress— Occupations  of 


CONTENTS. 


XV 


.138 


the  party— Lose  ground  by  the  southward  drift  of  the  Ice -Bear  shot-Noticen 
of  aniraula  seen— Keanh  northnriiniost  linown  land— The  Islet  named  after 
Rosp— Ri'turri  to  the  ship— Parry's  aiil)sciine"t  BURKostioii  i  on  this  mode  of 
trHveliiiB— Sir  John  Barrow's  comments  thereon— Opinions  of  this  perilous  ice 
Journey— Review  of  Parry's  arctic  services. 


Captain  John  Ross' Second  Voyage  in  the  Victory,  1829-83 155 


luand— List  of  other  onfcers— Ship  encounters  ugale,  and  is  obliged  to  put  Into 
Uol8telnl)erg  to  refit— I'roceod  on  their  voyage— Knter  Lancaster  Hound  and 
Hegent  Inlet— Reach  Fury  Beacii— Find  ahnndance  of  stores  there,  and  pre- 
served meat  in  excellent  condition— Replenish  their  stocK— Proceed  down  the 
talet— Periln of  the  Ice— Vessel  f'ecu red  in  Felix  Harbor  for  the  wi nter- Esqui- 
maux visit  the  ship— l-'urnirth  very  conect  sketches  of  the  coast— Commander 
James  Ross  makes  many  excursions  inland  and  along  the  hav8an4  Inlets— Kx- 
plores  Ross'Strai',  and  pu.shesonto  King  William's  Latirl— iJillicnlty  of  dis- 
tinguishing land  from  sea— Reaches  Point  Victory  and  turns  back— Hhin  gets 
clear  of  tho  Ice,  after  eleven  months'  iniprlsonnient.but  in  a  week  Is  again 
frozen  iu, and  the  party  are  detained  during  another  severe  winter— Further 
discoveries  made,  and  Commander  Ross  nlunts  the  British  flag  on  the  north 
magnetic  n;)le— In  August,  1831,  thesliip  is  warped  out,  and  makes  sail,  but 
after  beating  about  for  a  month.  Is  again  frozen  In;  and  rather  than  spend  a 
fourth  winter,  there  being  ;io  prospect  of  releasing  the  shii\  she  Is  abandoned 
and  the  crew  mdke  for  Fury  Reach— I'rovislons  and  boats  taken  on  with  grea{ 
labor— Party  erect  a  canvas  lint,  wliich  they  nanie  Somerset  Ilouse— In  a 
month,  the  boats  being  prepared  for  tlie  voynge,  the  party  embark,  and  reach 
the  mouth  of  the  inlet— IJarroWs  Strait  is  found  one  compact  mass  of  ice— They 
are  obliged  to  fall  back  on  the  stores  at  Fury  Beaoli  to  8j)end  their  fourth  win- 
ter—Placed on  short  allowance— In  the  spring  they  again  embark  in  their  boats 
and  succeed  in  reaching  Lancaster  Sound— Fall  In  with  whalers— Are  received 
onboard  the  Isabella,  Captain  Ross' old  ship— Arrive  home— Public  reloiclngs 
for  their  safety— Rewards  granted— Resume  of  Captain  John  Ross'  services. 

Captain  Baclc'a  Laud  Journey  in  Search  of  Ross,  183b-d4 168 

Attention  called  lo  ihe  missing  expedition  by  Dr.  Ricliardson— Plans  of  relief 
Buggesieil— Public  meeting  hold  to  consider  tlie  beat  measures— Ample  funds 
raised— Capt.  Back  volunieers— Leaves  Kngland  with  Dr. King— Voyage" 's and 
guides, etc. .engaged  in  Canada— Party  push  through  the  northwest  co    ii,ry— 
Dreailiulsufterings  from  insect  pests— Reach  Fort  Resolution,  on  Great  Slave 
Lake— Motley  dctcrlptlon  of  the  travelers  and  their  encampment-Arrange- 
ments are  completed,  and  the  Journey  in  search  of  the  Great  Fish  River  com- 
menced—Frightful  nature  of  the  precipices,  rapids,  falls,  ravines,  etc.— Meet 
with  old  acquaintances— Obliged   to  return  to  their  winter  quarters— Dreadful 
suffeiingaof  the  Indians— Famine  and  Intense  cold -Noble  conduct  of  Akaltcho 
the  Indian  chief— News  received  of  Captain   Ross'  safe  return  to  England- 
Franklin's  faithful  Plsqulmaux  interpreter,  A  ngustus,  endeavoring  to  Join  Back 
is  frozen  to  death— A  fresh  Journey  toward  the  dea  is  resolved  on— Provisions 
for  three  monies  taken— Indian  encampment— Green  Stockings,  the  beauty- 
Interview  with  the  chief,  Akaitcho— Arduous  and  perilous  progress  toward  the 
sea— Pilfering  propensities  of  the  Indian— Meet  witli  a  large  friendly  tribe  of 
liJsqulmaux-Reach  the  Hea,  and  proceed  along  the  coast  to  the  eastward    un- 
aole  to  arrive  at  the  Point  Tnrnagain  of  Franklin— Privations  of  the  party  on 
their  leturn  Journey— DifHculties  encountered  in  re-ascending  the  river— Reach 
Fort  Reliance  after  four  niontlis'  absence— Pass  the  winter  there— Captain  Back 
arri^on  In  England  in  September,  after  an  absence  of  two  years  and  a  half— Dr 
K!r  J     -lows  him  In  the  Iludson's  Bay  spring  ships. 

Bacls's  Voyage  in  the  Terror  up  Hudson's  Strait,  1836 186 

Ship  arrives  at  Salisbury  Island— Proceeds  up  Frozen  Strait— Is  blocked  up 
by  the  Icb,  and  driven  about  powerless  for  more  than  six  months— Cast  on  her 
beam  ends  for  three  days— From  the  crippled  state  of  tlie  ship  and  the  Insur- 
mountable difficulties  of  the  navigation,  the  return  to  England  is  determined 
on— Summary  of  Captain  Back's  arctic  services. 

Messrs.  Dease  and  Simpson's  Discoveries  on  the  Coast  of  Arctic 

America,  1836-39 187 

Descend  the  Mackenzie  to  tlie  sea— Survey  the  western  part  of  the  shores  of 
North  America  from  Return  Reef  to  Cape  Barrow- Discover  two  now  rivers 
the  Garry  and  Colvllle— After  reaching  Elson  Bay,  return  to  winter  at  Jori 
Confidence,  on  Great  Bear  Lake— Survey  resumed  In  the  ensuing  spring— Dan- 

iierona  rapids  on  the  Coppermine  river— Encamp  at  its  month— Copper  ore 
ound  here— Victoria  Laud  discoveied  and  140  miles  of  new  coast  traced— B9< 


xvr 


CONTENTS. 


'ill. 


ll.Mj 


ascent  of  tbe  Coppermine  Rommenced— 'Boats  abandoned, and  tbe  Barrett 
erounda  traversed  on  foot— Bpend  another  winter  at  Fort  Confidence— Tbe  fol* 
rowlug  season  a  third  voyage  commenced— Ricbard son's  River  examined—- 
Coronation  Gulf  found  clear  of  Ice— Coast  surve>  to  the  eastward  prosecuted— 
BImpsun's  Htralt  discovered— Back's  Estuary  readied— Deposit  of  provisions 
made  by  Back  Hve  years  previous,  found— Aberdeen  Island,  tbe  extreme  point 
reached— I'arts  of  coasts  of  Boothia  and  Victoria  Land  traced— One  of  tbeboata 
abandoned— Descent  of  the  Coppermine, and  safe  arrival  at  Fort  Confidence. 

Dr.  John  Bae's  Laud  Expedition,  1846-47 199 

Hudson's  Bay  Company  dispatch  Koe  and  a  party  of  thirteen  men  to  com* 

§Iet«  the  survey  between  Dease  and  Simpson's  furthest,  and  tbe  Fury  and 
lecia  Strait— Expeilitlon  leaves  Fort  C/'hurcbili— Reaches  W^er  River— Boats 
taken-across  Rae's  Isthumus— Winter  residence  constructed— Short  common»— 
West  shore  of  Melville  I'eulnsula,  etc.,  examined— Party  return  to  their  en- 
campment, and  proceed  to  Fort  Oliurch ill— Gratuity  of  £400  awarded  to  Dr. 
Bae. 

Captain  Sir  John  Franlclin's  Last  Expedition  in  the  Erebiia  and 

TeiTor,  1845-51 196 

Probability  of  the  safety  of  tho  expedition— Montgomery's  lines  on  ice-im- 
prisoneu  /cssrpIs- Lady  Fran  kiln's  devotion  and  enthusiasm— Verses— Her  «in- 
peai  to  the  north—  Sir  E.  Parry's  opinion -Outfit  and  dispatch  of  Franklin's  ex- 

S edition— Nemes  of  the  officers  employed— Outline  of  Franklin's  services— 
fotices  of 'the  services  of  other  of  the  offlcers— Searching  expeditions  sent  out 
In  1848— Different  volunteers  offer- Absence  of  intelligence  of  Franklin— His 
latest  dispatches  and  letters— Copper  cylinders— Franklin's  views  and  intentions 
—Letters  of  Captain  Fitzlames— General  opinions  of  the  most  experienced 
arctic  ofBcers  as  to  Franklin's  safety— Offer  of  services  and  suggestions  by  Dr. 
l£liig_Oi)lnlonsof  Captains  Parry  »nd  James  Ross  thereon— Consultation  of 
offlcers  at  the  Admiralty— Report  of  tbe  bydrograpber— Advice  tendered  by 
tboseconsiulted— Viewsof  Mr.  Snow  and  Mr.  Mo  Lean— Public  and  private  re- 
wards offtired  for  discovery  and  assistance  to  be  rendered- Second  report  of  Ad- 
miral BeB.'ifort  to  the  Lords  Commissioners  of  the  Admiralty— Various  private 
and  oiliciul  letters  and  dispatches,  pointing  out,  or  commenting  on  plans  and 
modes  of  relief— Abundance  of  animal  food  found  in  the  arctic  reglons-.'A  ballad 
of  Sir  John  Franklin. 

The  Government  and  Private  Searching  Expeditions 281 

List  of  the  vessels  and  commanders,  etc. ,  now  emplgyed  on  the  search  in  tb« 
arctic  regjious- Notices  of  those  returned  home. 

Vovago  of  the  Enterprise  and  Investigator  under  Captains  Sir 
Xcf  Ross  and  E.  J.  Bird,  1848-49 281 

Names  of  the  offlcers  employed  in  tills  expedition— Ships  arrive  at  Upperna- 
vick— Proceed  on  their  voyage— Force  a  passage  through  the  ice— Enter  Bar- 
row's Strait— After  being  driven  about  in  the  pack,  take  shelter  for  the  winter 
In  the  harbor  of  Port  Leopold— Surveying  trips  carried  on  down  the  inlet,  and 
round  the  northern  and  western  shores  of  Boothia— Foxes  trapped  and  liber, 
ated  with  copper  collars  on— Fury  open  water— Beset  by  the  loose  pack,  and  the 
temperature  falling,  the  whole  body  of  ice  Is  formed  into  one  solid  maas.and  the 
shins  are  drifted  wiih  the  field  into  Baffin's  Bay— The  return  to  England  de- 
termined on— Outliiio  of  Sir  James  Ross'  arduous  services  in  the  polar  regions. 

Voyage  of  the  Transport,  North  Star,  1849 390 

Names  of  the  offlcers  o>*  the  sbip-Offlcial  dispatch  from  the  Commander- 
Shin  beset  in  an  Ice-fleld  in  the  northern  part  of  Baffin's  Bay— Drifted  with  it 
forsixtv-twodavs- Wlntersin  VVolstenholnieSound— Dearth  of  animals  there- 
Shin  gets  clear  of  Ice  and  makes  for  Lancaster  Sound— The  Lady  Franklin  and 
Felix  are  spoken  with— Belns  prevented  by  the  ice  from  reaching  P*rt  Bowen 
or  Port  Neill.  the  provisions  taken  out  by  the  North  Star  are  landed  at  Navy 
Board  Inlet— Speaks  the  Prince  Albert— Keaelves  dispatches  for  England— Be- 
urns  home- Commander  Saunders  appointed  to  Malta  Dock-yard. 

Second  Voyage  of  the  Enterprise  and  Investigator  under  Cap- 
tain Collinson  and  Commander  M'CIure,  1850 .....a»4 

Namesof  officers  attached  to  the  ships- Esquimaux  Interpreter  appointed  to 
the  Enterprise— Vessels  arrive  at  the  Sandwich  Islands— Expressed  intentions 
of  the  commanders  of  the  vessels— Ships  reach  Behring's  Strait— Communicata 
with  the  Herald  at  Plover— Latest  dispatches  oX  Captain  ColUnaon  and  Gom- 
IDAnder  M'CIure— Position  of  their  ships. 


fii 


CONTENTS. 


XVII 


Voyage  of  th©  Plover,  and  Boat  Expeditions  under  Commander 

Pullen,  1848-51  807 

Purportof  in.>tructlou8  Issued  from  the  Admiralty— Ship  arrives  In  Behrlng's 
Strait— Discovers  pew  land  and  Islands  to  tli«  north  of  tiie  strait— Winters  In 
Kotzebue  Sound— I  teutenant  Pullen  and  party  proceeil  In  boats  alouK  the  coast 
(o  the  Mackenzie  River— No  tidings  gleamed  of  Franklin's  ships— Letter  from 
Lieut.  Hooper— Latest  ofltclal dispatch  from  Commander  Pullen— Ills  iateu- 
tlODs— Sir  John  Richardson's  advice. 

Voyage  of  the  Lady  Franklin  and  Sophia,  purcliased  govern- 
ment sliips,  under  tlie  command  of  Mr.  Peuuy Sl'i 

'  Nature  of  the  Instructions  given— Printing  Press  supplied— Ships  sail  and 
reach  Wolstenheime  Soui.d— Prevented  by  the  ice  from  examining  Jones' 
Sound— Beacli  Wellington  Channel,  and  are  left  there  by  the  Prince  Albert. 

Voyage  of  the  Resolute  and  Assiatanoe,  under  command  of 
Captain  Austin,  with  their  steam  teuder.-^iPioneer  and  lu- 

,    treyid,  1850-61 318 

'  Ships  purchased  and  are  renamed  by  the  government— Ofllcers  employed— 
lostruotlons  given  to  search  Wellington  Channel,  and  push  onto  Melville 
Island— Offlciat  dispatch  irom  Captain  Ommaney— MS.  newspaper  i>tarted  on 
board  the  Asslstenoe— liaitracts  therefrom. 

Voyage  of  Captain  Sir  John  Boss  in  the  Felix  private  schooner 

185^-51 319 

Is  fitted  out  bv  the  Hudson's  Bav  Company  and  private  subscription— Arrives 
at  Wbaleflsh  Islands,  and  overt<il<es  the  Advance  and  Resolute— Proceeds  In 
company— Esquimaux  reports  of  the  destruction  of  Franklin's  ships,  and  mur- 
der of  the  crew— Proved  by  investigation  to  be  devoid  of  foundation— Letter  of 
Sir  John  Boss  to  the  Secretary  of  the  AdmlraUy. 

American  Government  Searching  Expedition  in  the  United 

States  ships  Advance  and  Beseue,  under  the  command  of 

Lieutenant  De  Haven,  1850-51 335 

Lady  Franklin's  appeal  to  the  American  nation— Mr.  Clayton's  reply— Second 
letter  of  Lady  Franklin  to  the  President— Suggestions  of  Lieutenant  U.  Osburn, 
It.  N.— Debate  In  Congress— Besolutlons  agreed  to— Munificence  of  Mr.  H. 
Orlnnell— Ship  fitted  out  and  dispatched  -Names  of  officers  employed— Dis- 
patches from  the  commander. 

Bemarkable  Voyage  of  the  private  ship  Prince  Albert,  under 

the  command  of  Captain  Forsyth,  B.  N.,  to  Begent  Inlet  and 

back,  1850 348 

Fitted  out  by  Lady  Franklin  and  by  private  subscription- Reasonsfor  the 
expedition— Officers  and  crew— Discover  traces  of  Franklin- Fall  in  with  other 
Btiips— Visits  Begent  Inlet— Is  forced  to  return  home— Bemarks  on  this  voyage. 

The  American  Grinnell  Expedition  in  search  of  Sir  John  Frank- 
lin, in  the  Advance  and  Becue,  under  the  command  of  Lieu- 
tenantE.  De  Haven,  in  the  years  185(K>1 361 

Oflicersof  the  Expe/lltlon— Progress  of  the  voyage— First  encounter  with  an 
Ice-berg— Acres  ol  broken  ice— Landing  at  Whale  Island- Procure  winter  cloth- 
ing and  supplies  at  a  Danish  settlement— Perilous  position  of  the  Kescue— Polar 
bears— Open  sea— Joined  by  the  Prince  Albert,  Royal  navy— CJrlmson  Cliffs- 
Tremendous  gale— Articles  belonging  to  Franklin's  sliips— Three  graves  of 
Franklin's  men— Other  traces  of  the  missing  navigator— Approach  «t  the  Arctic 
winter— Battling  with  ice— Kxtreme  perils— Five  months  In  the  Ice— Arctic 
amusements  and  employments— Arctic  night— Re-appearance  of  the  sun— Lib- 
eration of  the  Ice-bound  vessels— Further  Kxplorations— Decide  to  return- 
Arrival  atthe  Navy  yard— Effects  of  the  Expedition— WINTEB  IN  THE 
ABCTIC  OCEAN  by  Lieutenant  De  Haven. 

A  Summer  Search  for  Sir  John  Franklin,  with  a  Peep  into  the 
Polar  Basin,  by  Commander  E.  A.Inglefleld,  in  the  Screw- 
steamer  Isabel,  in  1853 411 

First  glimpse  of  Greenland- Singular  accident— Examination  of  shores  of 
WolBtenholme  Sound— Northumberland  Island— Point  Frederick  VII.— Ap- 
nmrance  of  the  Ice— Visits  the  graves  of  Franklin's  men  at  Beecttey  Island— 
$4facnme«ot  «dyanclD«—l40BB  of  Bpars-Tbd  return  of  the  Isabel. 


XVIII 


CONTENTS. 


hi'-. 


Eiehlpen  Months  in  iho  Polar  ReAlong  In  search  of  Sir  John 
Frauklio's  Exi)oUitif'ii,  in  the  years  1850-51,  l)y  Lieutenant 
ISherud  Osboru,  with  the  Steam  vessels  Pioneer  and  in- 
trepid  421 

DftiiKPisof  Riichorlug  toan  l(^p-bers;— KiitanKl<M\  in  tlie  pnrk— Kiitf-rs  Ilaflln'H 
Bay— littiiciiaUT— Honriil  IMillosojiliv  i)f  lce-l)erKH— UeK««iil'H  Inlot— Vlblt  to 
Bpeclicy  I sliiiMl—TlioroiiRhw'iiiTlioftliutlsluiul— Visits  Barlow's  Inlet— rasslng 
tliu  winter  in  tltH  Hlii|is-<)ci;n|)uil<inH-Ex|)<>rlltionH  orKiini7.(><l  in  the  Hpriug— 
Visit  to J0UC8'  Sound-  l)o8orli)tion  of  tlio   i;8(iniiuuux  nicfs—lteinrn  lionte. 

Arotio  Hearchin^  Expedition;  a  Joinnn!  of  a  Boat  voyage 
thioupli  lluperCfl  Land  and  tiie  Antie  fcita,  in  search  of  Sir 
Jehu  Eraulilin,  by  Sir  John  liirhardson,  in   1851 438 

Btrrt  for  Monlri'iil  -Dt'^lsnalfd  rontc  Iiilcrconrso  with  tho  Ksonlmaux— 
Blcetch  of  tiio  Kminlnitiux— liuHsell  Jnlft— H»iri(iwhv  Hhv— ("apo  lluthnrHt— 
Cajm  Kondall— (:<)|)|)»»rniinn  Kiver— KenduU  BIvct— TliP  Ksqnimanx  of  this 
re>?ion--Tli«»irr»'liKion— 'l"h»>lr  ditfiTPiit  rai;es  and  trIbes-The  Kutchina-Fort 
Coutldence— Basil  Hull  Buy— Bear  J.iikc  - 1  f>turn. 

The  Second  Voyage  of  tlie  Prince  Albert  In    search    of  Sir 

Jolin  Frunlclin,  under  tlio  command    of    William    Kennedy, 

in  18X3  461 

Origin  (>f  this  expp.lltion— The  outfit  and  instruHions— Melville  Bay— Prince 
—Regent's  I  nli't—l'ort  Leopold— Wlnt«T(|narlers  at  Whaler's  Point— Fury  tteacb 
— J iicideuts during  the  winter— Cape  (jarry-JJaaery  Bay— lleturu  to  Jiaiglaud. 

Aroti«Ex')lorations;  the  Second  Grinned  Expedition  in  search 
of  Sir  Joliii  Franklin,  in  1853,  "54,  55,  by  Dr.  E.  K.  Kane,  in 
the  l>rig  Advance  473 

Outfit  and  pjrpose  of  the  expfdition— Visit  to  Danish  settlements  of  Green- 
land—Pans  iJrinipon  t'lilfs— Smith's  Sound— Discovery  of  the  ijreat  Uunuboldt 
Glacier— But.tei  Isiund— KsUililislnnent  of  provision  dejiots— Lite  on  board  tlie 
brig— Incidents  of  the  first  winter  In  the  ire— IVriloua  expedition— Further  ex- 
amination of  Hu!nl)oldt  «ilaoier— West  I-and-Holiert  Morris  Hay— Bear-light— 
Peep  into  tho  Polar  Urm  i -View  of  nature  live  imndred  miles  from  tiie  North 
Pole— Littliitou  Island— Second  winter  in  tho  ioe— Operations  in  tiiespriUK- Bx- 
ploration  of  Kennedy  Channel— Tliiid  view  of  IlnmooUlt  Olacier-Bear  hunti— 
Preparations  for  return— Departure  from  the  hriR— Conveyance  of  the  sicli— 
Anoatok— Slodtre  I'urtv— Perilous  arlveiitnre— Death  of  Chrisiian  Olilsen— North 
Batlin's  Bay— The  emliarkatlon— nilllcult  iiiiviKation— Murchison  ('hannel— 
NarroAf  Kacape— Wearv  Man's  I{e«t— J/w-ifo-G'^icc-Cape  York- Want  of  pro- 
visions—Seal  hunt-Coast  of  Oreeiiland— The  Bayak—Dlscoui aging  news— Ar- 
rival at  Upernavik— Captain Hartstene's  expedition  intlie  Arctic  and  the  Re- 
lease—Adventures  of  that  expedili  on— Beturn  to  ITpernavIk  and  discovery  of 
Dr.  Kane's  luirty—Ueturn  to  New  York— Results  of  llie  expedition— Subsequent 
career  of  Dr.  Kane— His  death,  Feb.  16th,  1857. 

Expedition  of  Captain  Francis  McClintoclc,  July  Ist,  1857 580 

Discovery  of  the  First  Anthenic  Account  of  Sir  .Tohn  Franklin's  fate— Return 
of  Uie  "  Fox  "  to  Isle  of  WriRlit,  September  20th,  1859. 

Explorations  of  Dr.  Isaac  I.  Hayes  (Surgeon  of  Second  Grinnell 

Expedition)  186-  061 523 

Dr.  Hayes'  First.  KxpediUon— He  describes  the  Arctic  night— His  Open  Polar 
Bea— Polar  Sea  of  the  future-  -Mild  oliinatesin  tiie  Arctic— The  Glacier  system-^ 
The  Home  of  the  Ice-berg— Watching  the  Ice  Mou  ntains  thrown  off  by  heat  and 
expansion— Roaring  as  of  aitillery -Scenes  in  Northern  seas. 

Dr.  Charles  F.  Hall's  Expeditions,  1860-71  540-565 

First  Kxpedition  in  the  "  George  Henrv;"Sf  cond  Expedition  in  the  "  Montl- 
o-.ilo;"  Third  or  Noitli  Polar  Expedition  in  the  U.  S.  Steamer  "  Polaris"— 
Various  lulventures  and  discoveries— Capt,  Hall'sdeath- Lossof  the  "  Polaris'- 
Hoatingon  the  ice— Escape  of  the  cie'ws—Capt.  Hall  awarded  the  gold  medal 
of  the  Geographical  Society  of  Paris— Besuits-Llfe  among  the  Eskimos- 
Tombs  of  his  native  friends. 

Expeditions  from  Europe— Nordensliiold 364 

Weyprecht  and  Payer  sail  from  Norway,  June,  1871— Discover  Franz  Joseph 
Land— Their  sledges  go  to    ithin  7'^  or  8^  of  the  Pole— Capts.  Toblesen,   Mack 


P 


CONTENTS. 


XlX 


and  rftr1«i>n— WiUlnm  Rfiront/^ITolve  aiul  Sniylli— C'apts.  Narrs  aiuX  Voung, 
11.  N.— Norilt'iiskiiilil  In  tli«  Vegu— 550  uillealroui  Ui«  Tole. 

Lieut.  Soliwiitka  8  Expedition,  1878 660 

Hcliwutkiiiiii  (Jil(li'r>»  Kx|)<'<im«iii  to  Klii«  Wlllluin  Lund— Ovfrluml  HlwlRe 
Jounu^v  of  :J.2.')  uilu'M,  1W7H-1HH0— Hellcs  ot  Fniiikllii'a  iiicii-Hkull  and  l)on»-H 
of  Mwiil.  .loJin  IrvliiK  H«*ut  to  Hcotland— l!ai)t.  (iilder's  nHrrattve- Sclnvalku'a 
Inint  of  tliM  ninsk-«rx— Itetiirn,  H(<|>1.  22nd,  iHHU— llucviveH  tho  medal  ot  I'artH 
OeoKiai  liical  Society. 

Lieut.  DeL jug's  Futul  ExpeUitiuu  iu  the  "  Jeanuette." 571 

LcHVcsSjin  I'Vivncisco,  .Inly  Kill.  lH7!»—1uk<'sUie  llolirinKHtniit  route— Crosses 
till- piilh  of  tlie  "Venn"-  KnconnUTs  Kolid  loe  and  1h  frozen  in  near  Herald 
IsUind  iiiid  WriinL'ell  Land— Jeanetle  Kinks  In  JU)  fathoms,  .Iun«  13th,  1881 ;  her 
crew  take  to  tho  lloes  ami  boats,  and  atlomnt  to  reooh  the  Asiatlt!  coast— Lieut. 
C'hiiip  and  tlip  seconil  colter  lostr- DeLoii^  in  tlie  nrst  entter  and  Daiienhower 
In  tlMMVhttle-hoat  lami  at  Lena  Delta— Defjong  and  lilsiiurtv  all  n«»rish  except 
two.  will  reiwh  a  settlemeiit— Their  fro/.ei,  hmlies  recovered— I)e Long's  last 
Journal— Kesnlts of  his  expedition— Posthumous  honors— Discussion  of  Arctic 
currenls-Th«  ^ate  to  the  I'ole  harred  In  Behrlnf?  sea— Description  of  BehrInK 
Strait,  Sea,  Asiatic  and  Ainericiin  coasts. 

Rolief  Expeditions,  1880,  1881 ,  18*2  .588  597 

IJ.  K.  Steamers  "t'orwln,"  "  Uixltjers,"  "Alliance,"— Their  ailventures  In 
search  of  the  *  .lean net te,"  "  Mount  VVollaston,"a()d  *'  Vigilant  "—the  Corwin's 
crow  explores  Hf  raid  Island  and  Wrangell  Land— Mirages  in  the  Polar  seas,- 
Ice-fields— Hahlta,  langnauti  and  ntliglon  of  tho  KsKlmaux— The  Alt)atroas— 
North-feast  and  North-west  jiassages. 

Antarctic  Expeditions— Tlie  "Terra  Austmlis  IneoRuita" 603 

Expeditions  of  Tapt.  Cook,  Cjvpt.  Wm.  Hniiih,  BellliiHhansen,  Howell, 
PaUner,  (apt.  Weddell,  Capt.  John  nis<!oe,  Duniont  D'Urvllle,  Capt.  lloss 
Lieut.  Charles  Wllkes-Features  of  tho  Antarctic  Ocean-ImplementH  of  dead 
races,  etc. 

Lieut.  A.  W.  Greely's  Ixpedition— blgmil  Stations 606 

(jrlnnell  Land  Jiady  Franklin  Bay— Signal stalions— Point  Barrow,  Alaska- 
Relief  Kxpeditlon-Ue.s*  no  of  the  survivors  of  liie  OUkki.y  parlv— Starvation— 
Cannibalism— Uesults— Arctic  seasons. etc. —Signal  sUttions  rightly  aiiandoned— 
Jtigor  of  climate  Uicieasing  In  th(>  la.}  Zones— f>i)en  Polar  Sea  a  delusion- North 
PoTeonly  fit  for  tho  ghosts  of  explorers,  and  foi  phantom  ships— Ann  ras,  stars 
tides— Latest  Projects— Medals  to  Oukki.v,  JiuAiNAiin,  etc.  ' 

Col.  Wtn.H.  Gilder's  Proposed  Foot  Journey  to  the  Pole, .  .634  639 

Hot  he  will  pet  (h(^re,  vi:v  Lady  Franklin  Bay— Native  hunters,  dog-drivers 
and  their  fii.iiMie^  to  be  his  sole  companions  In  a  "dash  to  the  Pole."  The 
"  (harden  of  lOden,"  the"  Lost  Itace,"  and  the"  Magnetic  World."- True  Love 
on  earth  exists  there  only. 

Lieut.  Greelv's  Oasis  iu  Grinuell  Land  described  iu  liis  book, 
"  Three  Year.-*  of  Arctic  Service." 640 

What  LocKWooD  and  Okkki.v discovered  north  of  8C  N.— An  ke-girt  Island 
with  "luxuriant  vegetation  "In  April, and  the  hum  of  insects  in  .Inly,  etc.— The 
"  devil's  darning  needle  "  there— Signs  of  a  raild  climate  and  proliiicness  at  the 
Pole  in  a  i)ast  ejtoch— Why  not  in  the  future  ? 


.664 


LIST  OF  ILLUSTRATIONS. 

The  Jeannette  in  the  Ice  (Frontispiece)  Paqts. 

TheEsquimaux  Dogs .    126 

The  Wolves 166 

Tlie  Advance  Among  Hummocks 353 

Advance  and  Rescue  Beating  to  Windward  of  an  Iceberg 360 

"  "       Perilous  situation  in  Melville  Bay .!!363 

"  "       and  Prlnfo  Albert  near  the  Devil'sThumb .....ii67 

Advance  leading  the  Prince  Albert  near  Leopold  Island 374 

Anvil  Blo«rk,  Guide  Board ' " ' ' ,  375 

Three  Graves  at  Beechey "    37Q 

The  Advance  Standard  at  Cape  Biley 377 


■'V 


'XX 


'  CONTENTS. 


The  AdTAnce  and  R^ncne  at  Barlow's  InlMt 889 

duriiiK  the  Winter  of  IBAO^l 384 

"  "  •*  drIftliiK  In  WolllnKton  Sound 385 

The  Advance  In  Davis'  Rtralts,  June  6tb,  1H61 380 

HanllnK  Una  Bear , 440 

The  Natives    44J> 

Polar  Bptir  finrl  the  Esquimaux 640 

HolHtloKii  Hall 550 

ilniitintc  tlu'  Walrus 551 

HhooihiK  a  Bear 555 

An  Arolio  Scene,  Bears 560 

The  Polaris  In  Thank  Ood  Harbor 563 

Fnrred  AnliimlH 56H 

The  Jeatjnette  Wedged  In 574 

Dashed  Upon  the  Ice 580 

Unfurlln«  the  Fla? 588 

The  Ice-  Bu  rHt 501 

Aurora  Borealls 614 

The  Raft  Sin  king 620 

Thousandsof  Birds— An  Oasis , 688 


f'll 


THE  PROGRESS 


OP 


ARCTIC  DISCOVERY 


IN   THE 


NINETEENTH   CENTURY. 


If  we  examine  a  map  of  Northern,  or  Arctic,  America, 
showing  what  was  known  of  the  countries  around  the 
North  Pole  in  the  commencement  of  the  present  century, 
we  shall  find  that  all  within  the  Arctic  circle  was  a  com- 
plete blank.  Mr.  Hearne  had,  indeed,  seen  the  Arctic 
Sea  in  the  year  1771 ;  and  Mr.  Mackenzie  had  traced 
the  river  which  now  bears  his  name  to  its  junction  with 
the  sea ;  but  not  a  single  line  of  the  coast  from  Icy 
Gape  to  Baffin's  Bay  was  known.  The  eastern  and 
western  shores  of  Greenland,  to  about  750  latitude,  were 
tolerably  well  defined,  from  the  visits  of  whaling  vessels; 
Hudson's  Bay  and  Strait  were  partially  known ;  but 
Baffin's  Bay,  according  to  the  statement  of  Mr.  Baffin, 
in  1616,  was  bounded  by  land  on  the  west,  running 
parallel  with  the  90th  meridian  of  longitude,  or  across 
what  is  now  known  to  us  as  Barrow's  Strait,  and  prob- 
ably this  relation  led  to  the  subsequently  formed  hasty' 
opinion  of  Captain  Sir  John  Ross,  as  to  his  visionary 
Croker  Mountains,  of  which  I  shall  have  occasion  to 
speak  hereafter. 


2G 


INTRODUCTION. 


:.iir' 


As  early  as  the  year  1527,  the  idea  of  a  passage  to  the 
East  Indies  l\v  the  North  Pole  was  sugf^cstod  by  a 
Bristol  iiurcliant  to  Henry  VIII,  but  no  voyaj^e  seems 
to  have  })oen  undertaken  for  the  purp  se  of  navigating^ 
the  Polar  seas,  till  the  commencement  of  the  following 
century,  when  an  expedition  was  fitted  out  at  the  ex- 
pense of  certain  merchants  of  London.  To  this  attempt 
S(!veral  others  succeeded  at  diti'erent  periods,  and  all  ol 
tliem  were  projected  and  carried  into  execution  by  pri- 
vate individuals.  The  adventurers  did  not  indeed  ac- 
complish the  object  they  exclusively  sought,  that  oi 
reaching?  India  by  a  nearer  route  than  doubling?  the  Cape 
of  Good  Hope,  but  though  they  failed  in  that  respect, 
the  fortitude,  perseverance,  and  skill  which  they  mani' 
fested,  exhibited  the  most  irrefragable  proofs  of  the 
early  existence  of  that  superiority  in  naval  afl'airs,  which 
has  elevated  this  country  to  her  present  eminence  among 
the  nations  of  Europe. 

At  length,  after  the  lapse  of  above  a  century  and  a 
half,  tliis  interesting  question  became  an  object  of 
lioyal  patronage,  and  the  expedition  which  was  com- 
manded by  Captain  Phipps  (afterward  Lord  Mulgrave,) 
in  1773,  was  fitted  out  at  the  charge  of  Government. 
The  tirst  proposer  of  this  voyage  was  the  Hon.  Daines 
Barrington,  F.  R  S. ,  who,  with  indefatigable  assiduity, 
began  to  collect  every  fact  tending  to  establish  the 
practicabiHty  of  circumnavigating  the  Pole,  and  as  he 
accumulated  his  materials,  he  read  them  to  the  Royal 
Society,  who,  in  consequence  of  these  representations, 
made  that  application  to  Lord  Sandwich,  then  First 
Lord  of  the  Admiralty,  which  led  to  the  appointment  of 
this  first  official  voyage.  Captain  Phipps,  however, 
found  it  impos:5ible  to  penetrate  the  wall  of  ice  which 
extended  for  many  degrees  between  the  latitude  of  80° 
and  81°,  to  the  north  of  Spitzbergen.  His  vessels  were 
the  Racehorse  and  Carcass ;  Captain  Lutwidge  being  his 
second  in  onim^iid,  in  the  latter  vessel,  and  having  with 
him,  then  a  mere  boy,  Nelson,  the  future  hero  of  Eng- 
land. 

From  the  year  1648,  whf^  the  famous  Russian  navi- 
gator, Seuor  Denhnew,  penetrated  from  the  river 
Kolyma  through  the  Polar  into  the  Pacific  Ocean,  the 


iH 


INTKtmUCTlON. 


27 


31'G 

lis 
ith 

S' 


Russians  have  been  as  arduous  in  theii  attemj)t8  tc  d'm 
cover  a  northeast  passage  to  the  north  of  Cape  Shel- 
atskoi,  as  the  English  have  been  to  sail  to  the  north 
west  of  the  American  continent,  through  Baffin's  IJay 
and  Lancaster  Sound.  On  the  side  of  the  Pacilic, 
many  efforts,  have,  within  tlie  last  century,  been  made 
to  further  this  object.  In  1741,  tiie  celebrated  Captain 
Behring  discovered  the  straits  which  bear  his  name,  as 
we  are  informed  by  MuUer,  the  chronicler  of  Itussian 
discoveries,  and  several  subsequent  commandeis  uf 
that  nation  seconded  liis  endeavors  to  penetrate  from 
the  American  continent  to  the  northeast.  From  the 
period  when  Deshnew  sailed  on  his  expedition,  to  the 
vear  1761,  when  Admiral  Tchitschagof,  an  indefatiga- 
ble and  active  officer,  endeavored  to  force  a  passage 
round  Spitzbergen,  (wliich,  although  he  attempted  with 
a  resolution  and  skill  which  would  fall  to  the  lot  of 
few,  he  was  unable  to  effect,)  and  thence  to  the  present 
times,  including  the  arduous  efforts  of  Captain  Billings 
and  Vancouver,  and  the  more  recent  one  of  M.  Von 
Wrangoll,  the  Russians  have  been  untiring  in  their  at- 
tempts to  discover  a  passage  eastward,  to  the  north 
of  Capo  Taimur  and  Cape  Shelatskoi.  And  certainly, 
if  skill,  perseverance,  and  courage,  could  have  opened 
this  passage,  it  would  have  been  accomplished. 

Soon  after  the  general  peace  of  Europe,  when  war's 
alarms  had  given  way  to  the  high  pursuits  of  science, 
the  government  recommenced  the  long-suspended 
work  of  prosecuting  discoveries  within  the  Ai'ctic  circle. 

An  expedition  was  dispatched  under  the  command 
of  Sir  John  Ross,  in  order  to  explore  the  scene  of  the 
former  labors  of  Frobisher  and  Baffin.  Still  hauhted 
with  the  golden  dreams  of  a  northwest  passage,  which 
Barrington  and  Beaufoy  had  in  the  last  age  so  entliu 
siastically  advocated,  our  nautical  adventurers  by  no 
means  relinquished  the  long-cherished  chimera. 

It  must  bo  admitted,  however,  that  the  testimony  of 
Parry  and  Franklin  pass  for  much  on  the  other  side 
of  the  question.  Both  these  officers,  whose  researches 
in  the  cause  of  scientific  discovery  entitle  then  'o  verj 


i 


28 


PE0QRES8   OF    ARCTIC   DISCOVERY. 


m 

m 

rati! 


im\ 


HB 


Jl 


m 
m 

m 


4 
ii* 


1  a 


liigli  respect,  have  declared  it  as  their  opinion  that 
such  a  passage  does  not  exist  to  the  north  of  the  75th 
degree  of  latitude. 

Captain  Parry,  in  the  concluding  remarks  of  his  first 
voyage,  (vol.  ii.  p.  241,)  says — "  Of  the  existence  of  a 
northwest  passage  to  the  Pacific,  it  is  now  scarcely 
possible  to  doubt,  and  from  the  success  which  attended 
our  efibrts  in  1819,  after  passing  through  Sir  James 
Lancaster's  Sound,  we  were  not  unreasonable  in  anti 
cipating  its  complete  accomplishment,"  &c.  And 
Franklin,  in  the  eleventh  chapter  of  his  work,  is  of  the 
same  opinion,  as  to  the  practicability  of  such  a  passage 

But  in  no  subsequent  attempt,  either  by  themselves 
or  others,  has  this  long  sought  desideratum  been  ac- 
complished ;  impediments  and  barriers  seem  as  thickly 
thrown  in  its  way  as  ever.* 

An  expedition  was  at  length  undertaken  for  the  sole 
jnirpose  of  reaching  the  Isorth  Pole,  with  a  view  to 
the  ascertainment  of  philosophical  questions.  It  was 
planned  and  placed  under  the  command  of  Sir  Edward 
rarry,  and  here  first  the  elucidation  of  phenomena 
connected  with  this  imaginary  axis  of  our  planet 
formed  the  primary  object  of  investigation. 

My  space  and  purpose  in  this  work  will  not  permit 
me  to  go  into  detail  by  examining  what  Barrow  justly 
terms  "  those  brilliant  periods  of  early  English  enter- 
prise, so  conspicuously  displayed  in  every  quarter  of 
the  globe,  but  in  none,  probably,  to  greater  advantage 
than  in  tnose  bold  and  persevering  efforts  to  pierce 
through  frozen  seas,  in  their  little  slender  barks,  of  the 
most  miserable  description,  ill  provided  with  the  means 
either  of  comfort  or  safety,  without  charts  or  instru- 
ments, or  any  previous  knowledge  of  the  cold  and  in- 
hospitable region  through  which  they  had  to  force  and 
to  feel  their  way :  their  vessels  oft  beset  amidst  end- 
less fields  of  ice,  and  threatened  to  be  overwhelmed 
with  instant  destruction  fi'om  the  rapid  whirling  and 
oursting  of  those  huge  floating  masses,  known  by  the 


i^*^^ 


^«^. 


mTRODUOTIOH. 


9» 


r. 

opinion  that 
I  of  the  75th 

ks  of  his  first 
xistence  of  a 
low  scarcely 
lich  attended 
h  Sir  Jamea 
I  able  in  anti 
'  &c.  And 
ork,  is  of  the 
ch  a  passage 
Y  themselves 
;um  been  ac- 
iva  as  thickly 

tt  for  the  sole 
ith  a  view  to 
ions.  It  was 
f  Sir  Edward 
phenomena 
our  planet 

1  not  permit 
arrow  justly 
giish  enter- 
quarter  of 
r  advantage 
ts  to  pierce 
arks,  of  the 
h  the  means 
ts  or  instru- 
oold  and  in- 
to force  and 
imidst  end- 
rerwhelmed 
Ihirling  and 
own  by  the 


name  of  icebergs.  Yet  so  powerfuUy^  infused  into  the 
minds  of  Britons  was  the  spirit  of  enterprise,  that 
some  of  the  ablest,  the  most  learned,  and  most  respect- 
able men  of  the  times,  not  only  lent  their  countenance 
and  support  to  expeditions  fitted  out  for  the  discovery 
of  new  lands,  but  strove  eagerly,  in  their  own  persons, 
to  share  in  the  glory  and  the  danger  of  every  daring 
adventure." 

To  the  late  Sir  John  Barrow,  F.  R.  S.,  for  so  long  a 
period  secretary  of  the  Admiralty,  and  who,  in  early 
life,  himself  visited  the  S2)itzbergen  seas,  as  high  as 
the  80th  parallel,  we  are  mainly  indebted  for  the  ad- 
vocacy and  promotion  of  the  several  expeditions,  and 
the  investigations  and  inquiries  set  on  foot  in  the  pres- 
ent century,  and  to  the  voyages  which  have  been  hith- 
erto so  successfully  carried  out  as  regards  the  interests 
of  siiience  and  our  knowledge  of  the  Polar  regions. 

Although  it  is  absurd  to  impute  the  direct  responsi- 
bility for  these  expeditions  to  any  other  quarter  than 
the  several  administrations  during  which  they  were 
undertaken,  there  can  be  no  question  but  that  these 
enterprises  originated  in  Sir  John  Barrow's  able  and 
zealous  exhibition,  to  our  naval  authorities,  of  the 
several  facts  aad  arguments  upon  which  they  might 
best  be  justified  and  prosecuted  as  national  objects. 
The  general  anxiety  now  prevailing  respecting  the  fate 
of  Sir  John  Franklin  and  his  gallant  companions,^ 
throws  at  this  moment  somewhat  of  a  gloom  on  the 
subject,  but  it  ought  to  be  remembered  that,  up  to  the 
present  period,  our  successive  Polar  voyages  have, 
without  exception,  given  occupation  to  the  energies 
and  gallantry  of  energetic  seamen,  and  have  extended 
the  realms  of  magnetic  and  general  science,  at  an  ex- 
pense of  lives  and  money  quite  insignificant,  compared 
with  the  ordinary  dangers  and  casualties  of  such  expe- 
ditions, and  that  it  must  be  a  very  narrow  spirit  and 
view  of  the  subject  which  can  raise  the  cry  of  "Cw« 
hono^^  and  counsel  us  to  relinquish  the  honor  and  peril 
of  such  enterpriseift. 


30 


PEOGRFSS   OP   ARCTIC   DISCOVEET. 


Wili- 
s'-; 

'III 

■i: 


I 


It  can  scarcely  be  deemed  out  of  place  to  give  here 
a  short  uotice  oi  the  literary  labors  of  this  excellent 
and  talented  man,  as  I  am  n^t  aware  that  such  an  out- 
line has  appeared  before. 

f"  'v  John  Barrow  was  one  of  the  chief  writers  for  the 
Quarterly  Review,  and  his  articles  in  that  journal 
amount  to  nearly  200  in  number,  forming,  v/hen  bound 
up,  twelve  separate  volumes.  All  those  relating  to 
the  Arctic  Expeditions,  &c.,  which  created  the  great- 
est interest  at  the  period  they  were  published,  were 
from  his  pen,  and  consist  chiefly  of  the  following  pa- 
pers, commencing  from  the  18th  volume ; — On  Polar 
Ice ;  On  Behring's  Straits  and  the  Polar  Basin ;  On 
Ross's  Voyage  to  Baffin's  Bay  ;  On  Parry's  First  Yoy- 
age ;  Kotzebue's  Voyage ;  Franklin's  First  Expedition ; 
Parry's  Second  and  Third  Voyages,  and  Attempt  to 
Reach  the  Pole ;  Franklin's  Second  Expedition  ;  Lyon's 
Voyage  to  Repulse  Bay ;  Back's  Arctic  Land  Expe- 
dition, and  his  Voyage  of  the  Terror.  Besides  these 
he  published  "  A  Chronological  History  of  Voyages 
to  the  Arctic  Seas,"  and  afterward  a  second  volume, 
"On  the  Voyages  of  Discovery  and  Research  within 
the  Arctic  Regions." 

He  also  wrote  lives  of  I^ord  Macartney,  2  vols.  4to ; 
of  Lord  Anson  and  Howe,  each  1  vol.  8vo ;  of  Peter 
the  Great;  and  an  Account  of  the  Mutiny  of  the 
^^'Bounty,  (in  the  "Family  Library;")  "Travels  in 
Southern  Africa,"  2  vols,  4to;  and  "Travels  in 
China  and  Cochin  China,"  each  1  vol.  4:to. 

In  the  "Encyclopedia  Britannica"  are  ten  or 
twelve  of  his  articles,  and  he  wrote  one  in  the  Edin- 
burgh Review  ^y  special  request. 

In  addition  to  these  Sir  John  Barrow  prepared  for 
the  press  innumerable  MSS.  of  travelers  in  all  parts 
of  the  globe,  the  study  of  geography  being  his  great 
delight,  as  is  evidenced  by  his  having  founded  the 
Royal  Geographical  Society  of  London,  which  now 
holds  so  high  and  influential  a  position  in  the  learned 
and  scientific  world,  and  has  advanced  so  materially 
he  progress  of  discovery  and  research  in  all  parts  of 


INTRODUCTION. 


31 


or 


of 


the  globe  Lastl}",  Sir  John  Barrow,  not  long  bofo.a 
his  death,  published  his  own  autobiography,  in  whith 
he  records  the  labors,  the  toil,  and  adventure,  of  a  long 
and  honorable  public  life. 

Sir  John  Barrow  has  described,  with  voluminous  cai « 
and  minute  research,  the  arduous  services  of  all  the 
chief  Arctic  voyagers  by  sea  and  land,  and  to  his  roi 
ume  I  must  refer  those  who  wish  to  obtain  more  exten 
sive  details  and  particulars  of  the  voyages  of  preceding 
centuries.  He  has  also  graphically  set  forth,  to  use  hia 
own  words,  "  their  several  characters  and  conduct,  so 
uniformly  displayed  in  their  unflinching  perseverance 
in  difficulties  of  no  ordinary  description,  their  patient 
endurance  of  extreme  suffering,  borne  without  mur- 
muring,  and  with  an  equanimity  and  fortitude  of  mind 
under  the  most  appalling  distress,  rarely,  if  ever, 
equaled,  and  such  as  could  only  be  supported  by  a 
superior  degree  of  moral  courage  and  resignation  to 
the  Divine  will  —  displaying  virtues  like  those  of  no 
ordinary  caste,  and  such  as  will  not  fail  to  excite  the 
sympathy,  and  challenge  the  admiration  of  every  right- 
feeling  reader." 

Hakluyt,  in  his  "  Chronicle  of  Voyages,"  justly  ob- 
serves, that  we  should  use  much  care  in  preserving  the 
memories  of  the  worthy  acts  of  our  nation. 

The  different  sea  voyages  and  land  journeys  of  the 
present  century  toward  the  North  Pole  have  redounded 
to  the  honor  of  our  country,  as  well  as  reflected  credit 
on  the  characters  and  reputation  of  the  officers  engaged 
in  them ;  and  it  is  to  these  I  confine  my  observations. 

The  progress  of  discovery  in  the  Arctic  regions  has 
been  slow  but  progressive,  and  much  still  within  the 
limits  of  practical  navigfition  remains  yet  unex})lored. 
The  English  nation  very  naturally  wish  that  discov- 
eries which  were  first  attempted  by  the  advcnturoua 
spirit  and  maritime  skill  of  tlieir  countrymen,  should 
be  finally  achieved  by  the  same  means. 

"Wi!  it  not,"  says  the  worthy  'preacher,'  Hakluyt, 
"in  all  posteritie  be  as  great  a  renown  vnto  our  En- 
glish natione,  to  have  bcene  tho  first  discouerers  of  n 


'  il 


•       !  I-'. 


52 


I'KOGHESS   OF 


Bea  Loyoiid  the  North  Cape,  (neuo.  certainely  knoweA 
before,^  and  of  a  conuenient  passage  into  the  huge  em- 
pire ol  Russia  by  the  Baie  of  St.  Nicholas  and  of  the 
Kiuer  of  Duina,  as  for  the  Portugales",  to  have  found 
a  sea  beyond  the  Cape  of  Buona  Esperanza,  and  so 
consequently  a  passage  by  sea  into  the  East  Indies  ? " 

I  cordially  agree  with  the  Quarterly  Review,  that 
*  neither  the  country  nor  the  naval  service  will  ever 
believe  they  have  any  cause  to  regret  voyages  which, 
in  the  eyes  of  foreigners  and  posterity,  must  confer 
lasting  honor  upon  both." 

The  cost  of  these  voyages  has  not  been  great,  while 
the  consequences  will  be  permanent ;  for  it  lias  been 
well  remarked,  by  a  late  writer,  that  "  the  record  of 
enterprising  hardihood,  physical  endurance,  and  steady 
])erseverance,  displayed  in  overcoming  elements  the 
most  adverse,  will  long  remain  among  the  worthiest 
memorials  of  human  enterprise." 

"  How  shall  I  admire, "  says  Purchas, "  your  heroic 
courage,  ye  marine  worthies,  beyond  all  names  of 
worthiness !  that  neyther  dread  so  long  eyther  the 
presence  or  absence  of  the  sunne ;  nor  those  foggy 
Hijsts,  tempestuous  winds,  cold  blasts,  snowe  and 
hayle  in  the  ayre ;  nor  the  unequall  seas,  which  miglit 
amaze  the  hearer,  and  amate  tne  beholder,  when  the 
Tritons  and  Neptune's  selfe  would  quake  with  chilling 
feare  to  behold  such  monstrous  icie  ilands,  renting 
themselves  with  terror  of  their  own  massines,  and  dis- 
dayning  otherwise  both  the  sea's  sovereigntie  and  the 
Bunne's  hottest  violence,  mustering  themselves  in  those 
watery  plaines  where  they  hold  a  continual  civill 
warre,  and  rushing  one  upon  another,  make  windee 
and  waves  give  backe  ;  seeming  to  rent  the  eares  of 
others,  while  they  rent  themselves  with  crashing  and 
splitting  their  congealed  armors." 

So  thickly  are  the  Polar  seas  of  the  northern  hemi- 
sphere clustered  with  lands,  that  the  long  winter  months 
Ber7e  to  accumulate  filed  ice  to  a  prodigious  extent,  89 
as  to  form  an  almost  'mpenetrable  barrier  of  hypet 
iaorean  frost —  .  . 


INTRODUCTION. 


88 


•  A  cryntal  pavement  by  the  breath  of  Heaven 
Oemented  firm." 

Although  there  are  now  no  new  continente  left  to 
discover,  our  intrepid  British  adventurers  are  but  too 
ono-er  to  achieve  the  bubble  reputation,  to  hand  down 
their  names  to  future  ages  for  patient  endurance,  zeal, 
and  enterprise,  hy  explorations  of  the  hidden  mys- 
teries of — 

*  the  frigid  zone. 
Where,  for  relentleas  months,  continual  night 
Holds  o'er  the  glittering  waste  her  starry  light ; " 


by  undergoing  perils,  and  enduring  privations 
dauj^ers  which   the  mind,  in  its  reflective  mom 


and 

moments, 

shudders  to  contemplate. 

It  is  fair  to  conjecture  that,  so  intense  is  the  cold, 
and  so  limited  the  summer,  and  consequently  so'  short 
the  time  allowed  for  a  transit  within  the  Arctic  circle, 
from  Baffin's  Bay  to  Behring's  Straits,  that  a  passage, 
even  if  discovered,  will  never  be  of  any  use  as  a  chan- 
nel. It  is  net  likely  that  tnese  expeditions  would  ever 
have  been  persevered  in  with  so  much  obstinacy,  had 
the  prospects  now  opening  on  the  world  of  more  ])rac- 
ticable  connections  with  the  East  been  known  forty 
years  ago.  Hereafter,  when  the  sacred  demands  of 
humanity  have  been  answered,  very  little  more  wiU 
\)e  heard  about  the  northwest  passage  to  Asia;  which, 
if  ever  found,  must  be  always  hazardous  and  pro- 
tracted, when  a  short  and  qui#k  one  can  be  accom- 
plished by  railroads  through  America,  or  canalb  across 
the  Isthmus. 

A  thorough  knowledge  of  the  relative  boundaries  of 
land  and  ocean  on  this  our  globe  has,  in  all  ages  and 
by  all  countries,  been  considered  one  of  the  most  im- 
portant desiderata,  and  one  of  the  chief  features  of 
popular  information. 

But  to  no  country  is  this  knowledge  of  such  prac- 
tical utility  and  of  such  essential  imi)ortance,  as  to  a 
maritime  nation  like  Great  Britain,  whose  mercantile 
marine  visits  every  port,  whose  insular  position  ren- 
ders her  completely  dependen  upon  distant  quarters 
8 


84 


PROGRESS  OF  ARCmO  DTSCOYER"T. 


'li   ' 


ik' 


fr  1 


for  half  the  necessary  supplies,  whether  of  food  or  lux 
nry,  which  her  native  population  consume,  or  which 
the  arts  and  manufactures,  of  which  she  is  the  empori 
urn,  require. 

With  a  vast  and  yearly  increasins^  dominion,  cover 
ing  almost  every  region  of  the  habitable  globe, — the 
chart  of  her  colonies  being  a  chart  of  the  world  in  out- 
line, sweeping  the  globe  and  touching  every  shore, — it 
becomes  necessary  tliat  she  slioiild  keep  pace  with  the 
progress  of  colonization,  by  enlarging,  wherever  pos- 
sible, her  maritime  discoveries,  completing  and  veri- 
fying;; our  nautical  surveys,  improving  her  meteorologi- 
cal researches,  0])ening  up  new  and  speedier  periodical 
pathways  over  the  oceans  which  were  formerly  trav- 
ersed with  so  much  danger,  doubt,  and  difficulty,  and 
maintaining  her  superiority  as  tlie  greatest  of  maritime 
nations,  by  sustaining  that  higli  and  distinguished  rank 
for  naval  eminence  which  has  ever  attached  to  the 
Bfitish  name. 

The  arduous  achievements,  however,  of  her  nautical 
discoveries  have  seldom  been  appreciated  or  rewarded 
as  they  deserved.     She  loads  her  naval  and  military 
heroes  —  the  men  who  guard  her  wooden  walls  and 
successfully  fight  lier  battles  —  with  titles   and  pen- 
sions ;  she  heaps  upon  these,  and  deservedly  so,  prince- 
ly remuneration  and  all  manner  of  distinctions;  but 
for  the  heroes  whose  patient  toil  and  protracted  endu 
ranee  far  surpass  the  turmoil  of  war,  who  peril  thei» 
lives  in  the  cause  of  science,  many  of  whom  fall  vie 
tims  to  pestilential  climes,  famine,  and  the  host  of  dan 
gers  which  environ  the  voyager  and  traveler  iu  uuea 
plored  lauds  and  unknown  seas,  she  has  only  a  place  ii* 
the  niche  of  fame. 

What  honors  did  England,  as  a  maritime  nation,  con- 
fer on  Cook,  the  foremost  of  her  naval  heroes, — a  man 
whoso  life  was  sacrificed  for  his  country?  His  widow 
had  an  annuity  of  200^,j  and  his  surviving  childrou 
25^.  each  per  annum.  And  this  is  the  reward  paid  to 
the  most  eminent  of  her  naval  discoverers,  before 
whom  Cabot,  Drake,  Frobisher,  Magellan,  Anaori,  and 


INTRODUCTIOIC. 


u 


•  the  arctic  adventurers,  Iludson  and  Baffin,  —  although 
all  eminent  for  their  discoveries  and  the  important 
services  they  rendered  to  the  cause  of  nautical  sci- 
ence,—  sink  into  insignificance  I  If  we  glance  at  the 
results  of  Cook's  voyages  we  find  that  to  him  we  are 
indebted  for  the  innumerable  discoveries  of  islands  and 
colonies  planted  in  the  Pacific ;  that  he  determined 
the  conformation,  and  surveyed  the  numerous  bays 
and  inlets,  of  New  Holland ;  established  the  geogra- 
phical position  of  the  northwestern  shores  of  America ; 
ascertained  the  trending  of  the  ice  and  frozen  shores  to 
the  north  of  Behring's  Straits ;  approached  nearer  the 
South  Pole,  and  made  more  discoveries  in  the  Austra- 
lian regions,  than  f\\l  the  navigators  who  had  preceded 
him.  On  the  very  shores  of  their  vast  empire,  at  the 
extremity  of  Kamtschatka,  his  active  genius  first 
taught  the  Russians  to  examine  the  devious  treudings 
of  the  lands  which  border  the  Frozen  Ocean,  in  the 
neighborhood  of  the  Arctic  circle.  He  explored  both 
the  eastern  and  western  coasts  above  Behring's  Straits 
to  so  high  a  latitude  as  to  decide,  beyond  doubt,  the 
question  as  to  the  existence  of  a  passage  round  the  two 
continents.  He  showed  the  Russians  how  to  navigate 
the  dangerous  seas  between  the  old  and  the  new 
world ;  lor,  ae  Coxe  has  remarked,  "  before  his  time, 
every  thing  was  uncertain  and  confused,  and  though 
they  had  undoubtedly  reached  the  continent  of  Amer- 
ica, yet  they  had  not  ascertained  the  line  of  coast,  nor 
the  separation  or  vicinity  of  the  two  continents  of  Asia 
and  America."  Coxe,  certainly,  does  no  more  than 
justice  to  his  illustrious  countryman  when  he  adds, 
"  the  solution  of  this  important  problem  was  reserved 
for  our  great  navigator,  and  every  Englishman  must 
exult  that  the  discoveries  of  Cook  were  extended  fur 
ther  in  a  single  expedition,  and  at  the  distance  of  half 
the  globe,  than  the  Russians  accomplished  in  a  long 
series  of  years,  and  in  a  region  contiguous  to  their  own 
enipire." 

Look  at  "Wed  dell,  again,  a  private  trader  in  seal* 
skins,  who,  in  a  tVail  bark  of  160  tons,  made  important 
0 


89 


PROGRESS   OF   AKCTIO    DISCOVERr. 


1^ 


discoyeries  in  tho  Antarctic  circle,  and  a  yo7as;e  of 
greater  length  and  peril,  through  a  thousand  mifea  of 
ice.  than  had  previously  been  performed  by  any  navi- 
gator, paving  the  way  for  the  more  expensively  fitted 
expedition  under  Sir  James  Ross.  Was  Weddell  re- 
munerated on  a  scale  commensurate  with  his  importan 
services  ? 

Haifa  century  ago  the  celebrated  Bruce  of  Kinnaird, 
by  a  series  of  soundings  and  observations  taken  in  the 
Red  Sea,  now  the  great  highway  of  overland  eastern 
traffic,  rendered  its  navigation  more  secure  and  punc- 
tual. How  was  he  rewarded  by  the  then  existing  min 
istry  ? 

Take  a  more  recent  instance  in  the  indefatigable 
energy  of  Lieutenant  Waghorn,  R.  N.,  the  enterprising 
pioneer  of  the  overland  route  to  India.  What  does  not 
the  commerce,  the  character,  the  reputation,  of  his 
conntry  owe  to  his  indefatigable  exertions,  in  bringing 
the  metropolis  into  closer  connection  with  her  vast  and 
important  Indian  empire  ?  And  what  was  the  reward 
he  received  for  the  sacrifices  he  made  of  time,  money, 
health  and  life  ?  A  paltry  annuity  to  himself  of  lOOZ., 
and  a  pension  to  his  widow  of  251.  per  annum  1 

Is  it  creditable  to  her  as  the  first  naval  power  of  the 
world  that  she  should  thus  dole  out  miserable  pittances, 
or  entirely  overlook  the  successful  patriotic  exertions 
and  scientific  enterprises  and  discoveries  of  private 
adventurers,  or  public  commanders  ? 

The  attractions  of  a  summer  voyage  along  the  bays 
and  seas  where  the  sun  shines  for  four  months  at  a  time, 
exploring  the  bare  rocks  and  everlasting  ice,  with  no 
companion  but  the  white  bear  or  the  Arctic  fox,  may 
be  all  very  romantic  at  a  distance ;  but  the  mere  thought 
of  a  winter  residence  there,  frozen  fast  in  some  solid 
ocean,  with  snow  a  dozen  feet  deep,  the  thermometer 
ranging  from  40°  to  60°  below  zero,  and  not  a  glimpse 
of  the  blessed  sun  from  November  to  February,  is 
enough  to  give  a  chill  to  all  adventurous  notions.  But 
the  officers  and  men  engaged  in  the  searching  expedi- 
tions after  Sir  John  Franklin  hav«  calmly  weighed  all 


I  M-  : 


riBST   VOYAGE   OF   CAPTaIN    ftOSS. 


37 


ttiese  difficulties,  and  boldly  g  >ne  forth  to  encounter 
the  perils  and  dangers  of  these  icy  seas  for  the  sake  of 
their  noble  fellow-sailor,  whose  fate  has  been  so  long  a 
painful  mystery  to  the  world. 

It  has  been  truly  observed,  that  "  this  is  a  service 
for  which  all  officers,  however  brave  and  intelligent 
they  may  be,  are  not  equally  qualified ;  it  requires  a 
peculiar  tact,  an  inquisitive  and  persevering  pursuit 
after  details  of  fact,  not  always  interesting,  a  contempt 
of  danger,  and  an  enthusiasm  not  to  be  damped  by 
ordinary  difficultiefl." 

The  records  which  I  shall  have  to  give  in  these  pages 
of  voyages  and  travels,  unparalleled  in  their  perils, 
their  duration,  and  the  protracted  sufferings  which 
many  of  them  entailed  on  the  adventurers,  will  bring 
out  in  bold  relief  the  prominent  characters  who  have 
figured  in  Arctic  Discovery,  and  whose  names  will 
descend, to  posterity,  emblazoned  on  the  scroll  of  fame, 
for  their  bravery,  their  patient  endurance,  their  skill, 
aud,  above  all,  their  firm  trust  and  reliance  on  that 
Almighty  Being  who,  although  He  may  have  tried 
them  sorely,  has  never  utterly  forsaken  them. 


Oapt.  John  Ross's  Voyage,  1818. 

Ijt  1818,  His  Royal  Highness  the  Prince  Regent 
having  signified  his  pleasure  that  an  attempt  should 
be  made  to  find  a  passage  by  sea  between  the  Atlantic 
and  Pacific  Oceans,  the  Lords  Commissioners  of  the 
Admiralty  were  pleased  to  fit  out  four  vessels  to  pro- 
ceed toward  the  North  Pole,  under  the  command  of 
Captain  John  Ross.  No  former  expedition  had  been 
fitted  out  on  so  extensive  a  scale,  or  so  completely 
equipped  in  every  respect  as  this  one.  The  circum. 
stance  which  mainly  led  to  the  sending  out  of  these 
vessels,  was  the  open  character  of  the  bays  and  seas 
in  those  regions,  it  having  been  observed  for  the  pre- 
\i<^us  threa  years  that  very  unusual  quantities  of  the 
polar  ice  had  floated  down  into  the  Atlantic.     In  the 


58 


PROORK88    OF   AKCTIO    DTSOOVHRT. 


ill 


•  t 


year  1817,  Sir  John  Barrow  relates  that  the  eastern 
coast  of  Greenland,  which  had  been  shut  up  with  ice 
for  four  centuries,  was  found  to  be  accessible  from  th© 
70th  to  the  80th  degree  of  latitude,  and  the  interme- 
diate sea  between  it  and  Spitzhergen  was  so  entirolj' 
open  in  the  latter  parallel,  tnat  a  Hamburgh  ship  had 
actually  sailed  along  this  track. 

On  the  15th  of  January,  1818,  the  four  ships  were 
put  in  commission  —  the  Isabella,  385  tons,  and  the 
Alexai  der,  252  tons  — under  Captain  Ross,  to  proceed 
up  the  middle  of  Davis'  Strait,  to  a  high  northern  lati- 
tude, and  then  to  stretch  across  to  the  westward,  in 
the  hope  of  being  able  to  pass  the  northern  ext  remity 
of  America,  and  reach  Behring's  Strait  by  that  route. 
Those  destined  for  the  Polar  sea  were,  the  Dorothea, 
382  tons,  and  the  Trent,  2id  tons,  which  were  ordered 
to  proceed  between  Greenland  and  Spitzbergen,  and 
seek  a  passage  through  an  open  Polar  sea,  if  such 
ehould  be  found  in  that  direction. 

I  shall  take  these  voyages  in  the  order  of  their  pub- 
lication, Ross  having  given  to  the  world  the  account 
of  his  voyage  shortly  after  his  return  in  1819 :  while 
the  narrative  of  the  voyage  of  the  Dorothea  and  Trent 
was  only  published  in  1843,  by  Captain  Beechey,  who 
served  as  Lieutenant  of  the  Trent,  during  the  voyage. 

The  following  were  the  officers,  &c.,  of  the  ships 
ander  Captain  Ross :  — 

Isabella. 

Captain  —  John  Ross. 

Lieutenant — W.  Robertson. 

Purser  —  "W.  Thom. 

Surgeon  —  John  Edwards. 

Assistant  Surgeon  —  C.  J.  Beverley. 

Admiralty  Midshipmen  —  A.  M.  Skene  and  James 

Clark  Ross. 
Midshipman  and  Clerk — J.  Bushnan. 
Greenland  Pilots  —  B.  Lewis,  master;  T.  "Wilcox. 

mate. 
Captain  (now  Colonel)  Sabine,  R.  A. 


FIEST   VOYAGE. OF  CAPTAIN   K088. 


89 


,mes 


COIL 


45  I'tiiy  officers,  seamen,  and  marines. 
Whole  complement,  67. 

Alexander. 

Lieutenant    and    Commander  —  William    EdwarO 

Pftr/j,  (now  Captain  Sir  Edward.) 
LicutGoant — H.  II.  Itoopner,  (a  first  rate  artist.) 
Purser  —  W.  II.  Hooper. 
Greenland  Pilots  —  J.  Allison,  master;  J.  Philips 

mate. 
Admiralty  Midshipmen  —  P.  Bisson  and  J.  Nius. 
Assistant  Surgeon  —  A.  Fisher. 
Clerk  —  J.  liaise. 
28  petty  officers,  seamen,  &c. 

Whole  complement,  37. 

On  the  2d  of  May,  the  four  vessels  being  reported 
fii  for  sea,  rendezvoused  in  Brassa  Sound,  Shetland, 
and  the  two  expeditions  parted  company  on  the  follow- 
ing day  for  their  respective  destinations. 

On  the  26tH,  the  Isabella  fell  in  with  the  first  ice- 
berg, which  appeared  to  bo  about  forty  feet  high  and 

thousand  feet  long.  It  is  hardly  possible  to  imagine 
a..y  thing  more  exquisite  than  the  variety  of  tints  which 
these  icebergs  display ;  by  night  as  well  as  by  day  they 
glitter  with  a  vividness  of  color  beyond  the  power  of 
art  to  represent.  While  the  white  portions  have  the 
brilliancy  of  silver,  their  colors  are  as  various  antl 
splendid  as  those  of  the  rainbow;  their  ever-changing 
disposition  producing  effects  as  singular  as  they  are 
new  and  interesting  to  those  who  have  not  seen  them 
before. 

On  the  17th  of  June,  they  reached  Waygatt  Sound, 
beyond  Disco  Island,  where  they  found  forty-five 
whalers  detained  by  the  ice.  Waygatt  Island,  from 
observations  taken  on  shore,  was  found  to  be  6°  longi- 
tude and  30  miles  of  latitude  from  the  situation  as  laid 
down  in  the  Admiralty  Charts. 

They  were  not  able  to  get  away  from  here  till  the 
20th,  when  the  ice  began  to  break.  By  cutting  passages 


iO 


^B&Ui(B)Slii   OF   AAvniO   OiSOOVBUT. 


-v- 


through  the  ice,  and  by  dint  of  towing  and  warping, 
a  slow  progress  was  made  with  the  ships  until  the 
17th  of  July,  when  two  ice-floes  closing  in  upon  them, 
threatened  inevitable  destruction,  and  it  was  only  by 
the  greatest  exertions  that  they  hove  through  into  open 
water.  The  labors  of  warping,  towing,  and  tracking 
were  subsequently  very  severe.  This  tracking,  al 
though  hard  work,  afforded  great  amusement  to  the 
men,  giving  frequent  occasion  for  the  exercise  of  their 
wit,  wnen  some  of  the  men  occasionally  fell  in  through 
holes  covered  with  snow  or  weak  parts  of  the  ice. 

Very  high  mountains  of  land  and  ice  were  seeu  to 
the  north  side  of  the  bay,  which  he  named  Melville's 
Bay,  forming  an  impassable  barrier,  the  precipices 
next  the  sea  oeing  from  1000  to  2000  feet  high. 

On  the  29th  of  June,  the  Esquimaux,  John  Sacheuse, 
who  had  accompanied  the  expedition  from  England  as 
interpreter,  was  sent  on  shore  to  communicate  with 
the  natives.  About  a  dozen  came  off  to  visit  the  ship, 
and,  after  being  treated  with  coffee  and  biscuit  in  the 
cabin,  and  having  their  portraits  taken,  they  set  to 
dancing  Scotch  reels  on  the  deck  of  the  Isabella  with 
the  sailors. 

Captain  Koss  gives  a  pleasant  description  of  this 
scene  — "  Sacheuso's  mirth  and  joy  exceeded  all 
bounds* ;  and  with  a  good-humored  omciousness,  justi- 
fied by  the  important  distinction  which  his  superior 
knowledge  now  gave  him,  he  performed  the  office  of 
master  of  the  ceremonies.  An  Esquimaux  M.  0.  to  a 
ball  on  the  deck  of  one  of  H.  M.  shqjs  in  the  icy  seas 
of  Greenland,  was  an  office  somewhat  new,  but  Nash 
himself  could  not  have  performed  his  functions  in  a 
m.  ner  more  appropriate.  It  did  not  belong  even  to 
Nash  to  combine  in  his  own  person,  like  Jack,  the  dis- 
cordant qualifications  of  seaman,  interpreter,  draughts- 
man, and  master  of  ceremonies  to  a  ball,  with  those 
of  an  active  fisher  of  seals  and  a  hunter  of  white  bears. 
A  daughter  of  the  Danish  resident  (by  in  Es«[uimaux 
woman,)  about  eighteen  years  of  age,  and  by  far  the 
best  looking  of  the  half-caste  group,  was  the  object  of 


FIB8T   VOYAOB   OP  OAITAIN    ROSS. 


41 


Jack'«»  particular  attentions ;  which  heing  observed  by 
lue  of  our  officers,  he  gave  him  a  hidy's  shawl,  orna- 
mented witli  spangles,  as  an  offering  for  her  acceptance. 
He  presented  it  in  a  most  respectful,  and  not  ungraco 
ful  manner  to  the  damsel,  who  bashfully  took  a  pew 
ter  ring  from  her  finger  and  gave  it  to  him  in  return, 
rewarding  him,  at  the  same  time,  with  an  eloquent 
smile,  which  could  leave  no  doubt  on  our  Esquimaux^s 
mind  that  he  had  made  an  impression  on  her  heart."* 
On  the  6th  of  August  the  little  auks  (Mergulfus  alle,) 
were  exceedingly  abundant,  and  many  were  shot  for 
food,  as  was  also  a  large  gull,  two  feet  five  inches  in 
le^kth,  which,  when  killed,  disgorged  one  of  these 
little  birds  entire. 

A  fortnight  later,  on  two  boats  being  sent  from  the 
Isabella  to  procure  as  many  of  these  birds  as  possible, 
for  the  purpose  of  preserving  them  in  ice,  they  re- 
turned at  midnight  with  a  boat-load  of  about  1500, 
having  on  an  average,  killed  fifteen  at  each  shot.  The 
boats  of  the  Alexander  were  nearly  as  successful. 
These  birds  were  afterward  served  daily  to  each  man, 
and,  among  other  ways  of  dressing  them,  they  were 
found  to  make  excellent  soup  —  not  inferior  to  hare 
soup.  Not  less  than  two  hundred  auks  were  shot  on 
the  6th  of  August,  and  served  out  to  the  ships'  compa- 
nies, among  whose  victuals  they  proved  an  agreeable 
variety,  not  having  the  fishy  flavor  that  might  be  ex- 
pected from  their  food,  which  consists  of  Crustacea, 
Binall  fishes,  mollusca,  or  marine  vegetables. 

On  the  7th  of  August  the  ships  were  placed  in  a 
most  critical  situation  by  a  gale  of  wind.  The  Isabella 
was  lifted  by  the  pressure  of  ice  floes  on  each  side  of 
her,  and  it  was  doubted  whether  the  vessel  could  long 
withstand  the  grips  and  concussions  she  sustained', 
"  every  support  threatened  to  give  way,  the  beams  in 
the  hold  began  to  bend,  and  the  iron  water-tanlw 
settled  together.  The  two  vessels  were  thrown  with 
violent  concussion  against  eaob  other,  the  Tje-anchors 

•  Vol  I,  p  67. 6& 


42 


PBOGKESS   OF   A^RCTIC   DISCOVERT. 


It  ; 


and  cables  broke  one  after  the  other,  a  boat  at  the 
stern  was  smashed  in  the  collision,  and  the  masts 
were  hourly  expected  to  go  by  the  board ;  but  at  this 
juncture,  when  certain  destruction  was  momentarily 
looked  for,  by  the  merciful  interposition  of  Providence 
the  fields  of  ice  suddenly  opened  and  formed  a  clear 
passage  for  the  ships." 

A  singular  physical  feature  was  noticed  on  the  part 
of  the  coast  near  Cape  Dudley  Digges: — "We  have 
discovered,  (says  Ross,)  that  the  snow  on  the  face  of 
the  cliffs  prcisents  an  appearance  both  novel  and  inter 
esting,  being  apparently  stained  or  covered  by  some 
substance  which  gave  it  a  deep  crimson  color.  This 
snow  was  penetrated  in  many  places  to  a  depth  of  ten 
or  twelve  feet  by  the  coloring  matter."  There  is  noth- 
ing new,  however,  according  to  Barrow,  in  the  discov- 
ery of  red  snow.  Pliny,  and  other  writers  of  his  time 
mention  it.  Saussure  found  it  in  various  parts  of  the 
Alps  ;  Martin  found  it  in  Spitzbergen,  and  no  doubt 
it  is  to  be  met  with  in  most  alpine  regions. 

In  the  course  of  this  tedious,  and  often  laborious 
progress  through  the  ice,  it  became  necessary  to  k«ep 
the  whole  of  the  crew  at  the  most  fatiguing  work,  some- 
times for  several  days  and  nights  without  intermission. 
When  this  was  the  case,  an  extra  meal  was  served  to 
them  at  midnight,  generally  of  preserved  meat ;  and 
it  was  found  that  this  nourishment,  when  the  mind 
and  body  were  both  occupied,  and  the  sun  continually 
present,  rendered  them  capable  of  remaining  without 
>3leep,  so  that  they  often  passed  three  days  in  this  man- 
ner without  any  visible  inconvenience,  returning  after 
a  meal  to  their  labor  on  the  ice  or  in  the  boats  quite 
refreshed,  and  continuing  at  ^l  without  a  murmur.    - 

After  making  hasty  and  very  cursory  examinations 
of  Smith's  and  Jones'  Sounds,  Ross  arrived,  on  the 
30th  of  AugHist,  off  the  extensive  inlet,  named  by  Baf- 
fin, Lancaster  Sound.  The  entrance  was  perfectly 
clear,  and  the  soundings  ranged  from  650  to  1000  fath 
oms.  I  shall  now  quote  Ross's  own  observations  on 
this  subject,  because  from  his  unfortunate  report  of  » 


FIBBT  VOYAGE   OF  CAPTAIW  itOS8. 


43 


range  called  the  Croker  mountainB,  stretching  across 
this  Strait,  has  resulted  much  of  the  ridicule  and  dis- 
credit which  has  attached  to  his  accounts,  and  clouded 
his  early  reputation  —  "On  the  31st  (he  says)  we  dis- 
covered, for  the  first  time,  that  the  land  extended  fi'om 
the  south  two-thirds  across  this  apparent  Strait ;  but 
the  fog  which  continually  occ;  pied  that  quarter,  ob- 
scured its  real  figure.  During  the  day  much  interest 
was  excited  on  board  by  the  appearance  of  this  Strait. 
The  general  opinion,  however,  was,  that  it  was  only  an 
inlet.  The  land  was  partially  seen  extending  across  ; 
the  yellow  sky  was  perceptible.  At  a  little  before  four 
o'clock  A.  M.,  the  land  was  seen  at  the  bottom  of  the 
inlet  by  the  ofiicers  of  the  watch,  but  before  I  got  on 
deck  a  space  of  about  seven  degrees  of  the  compass 
was  obscured  by  the  fog.  The  land  which  I  then  saw 
was  a  high  ridge  of  mountains  extending  directly  across 
the  bottom  of  the  inlet.  This  chain  appeared  extremely 
high  in  the  center.  Although  a  passage  in  this  direc- 
tion appeared  hopeless,  I  was  determined  to  explore  it 
completely.  I  therefore  continued  all  sail.  Mr.  Bev- 
erly, the  surgeon,  who  was  the  most  sanguine,  went  up 
to  the  crow's  nest,  and  at  twelve  reported  to  me  that 
before  it  became  thick  he  had  seen  the  land  across  the 
bay,  except  for  a  very  short  space. 

"At  three,  I  went  on  deck  ;  it  completely  cleared  for 
ten  minutes,  when  I  distinctly  saw  the  land  round  the 
bottom  of  the  bay,  fonning  a  chain  of  mountains  con- 
nected with  those  which  extended  along  the  north  and 
south  side.  This  land  appeared  to  be  at  the  distance 
of  eight  leagues,  and  Mr.  Lewis,  the  master,  and  James 
llaig,  leading  man,  being  sent  for,  they  took  its  bear- 
ings, which  were  inserted  in  the  log.  At  this  moment 
I  also  SAW  a  continuity  of  Ice  at  the  distance  of  seven 
miles,  extending  from  one  side  of  the  bay  to  the  other, 
betw<*en  the  nearest  cape  to  the  north,  which  I  named 
after  Sir  George  "Warrender,  and  that  to  the  south, 
which  was  named  after  Viscount  Castlereagh.  The 
mountains,  which  occup'sd  the  center,  in  a  north  and 

8  B* 


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PROGRESS   OF  AROTIO   DISOOVERT. 


south  direction,  were  named  Croker's  Mountains,  after 
the  Secretary  to  the  Admiralty."* 

They  next  proceeded  to  Possession  Bay,  at  the  en- 
trance of  the  Strait,  where  a  great  many  animals  were 
observed.  Deer,  fox,  ermine,  bears,  and  hares,  were 
either  seen,  or  proved  to  be  in  abundance  by  their 
tracks,  and  the  SKeletou  of  a  whale  was  found  stranded 
about  600  yards  beyond  high-water-mark.  Finding,  as 
lloss  supposed,  no  outlet  through  Lancaster  Strait,  the 
vessels  continued  their  progress  to  the  southward,  ex- 
nloring  the  western  coast  of  Baffin's  Bay  to  Pond's 
nay,  and  Booth's  Inlet,  discovering  the  trending  of  the 
hind,  which  he  named  North  Galloway,  and  North 
Ayr  to  Cape  Adair,  and  Scott's  Bay. 

On  September  the  10th,  they  landed  on  an  island 
near  Cape  Eglington,  which  was  named  Agnes'  Monu- 
ment. A  flaff-staff  and  a  bottle,  with  an  account  of 
their  proceedings  was  set  up.  The  remains  of  a  tem- 
porary habitation  of  some  of  the  Esquimaux  were  here 
observed,  with  a  fire-place,  part  of  a  human  skull,  a 
broken  stone  vessel,  some  bones  of  a  seal,  burnt  wood, 
part  of  a  sledge,  and  tracks  of  dogs,  &c. 

While  the  boat  was  absent,  two  large  bears  swam  off 
to  the  ships,  which  were  at  the  distance  of  six  miles 
from  the  land.  They  reached  the  Alexander,  and  were 
immediately  attacked  by  the  boats  of  that  ship,  and 
killed.  One,  which  was  shot  through  the  head,  unfor- 
tunately sank  ;  the  other,  on  being  wounded,  attacked 
the  boats,  and  showed  considerable  play,  but  was  at 
length  secured  and  towed  to  the  Isabella  by  the  boats 
of  bot'  ships.  The  animal  weighed  11311  lbs.,  besides 
the  blood  it  had  lost,  which  was  estimated  at  80  lbs 
more. 

On  the  following  day,  Lieut.  Parry  was  sent  on  shore 
to  examine  an  iceberg,  which  was  found  to  be  4169 
yards  long,  3869  yards  broad,  and  61  feet  high,  being 
aground  in  61  fathoms.  "When  thev  had  ascended  to 
the  top,  which  was  perfectly  flat,  they  found  a  huA;e 

•Tol  I,p.241.46.8TaeA 


sh(i 


VOYAGE   OF   BUC'HAN   AND   FRANKLIN. 


45 


white  bear  iu  quiet  possession  of  the  mass,  who,  much 
to  their  mortification  and  astonishment,  plunged  with- 
out hesitation  into  the  sea  from  the  edge  of  tue  preci- 
pice, which  was  fifty  feet  high. 

From  careful  observation  it  was  found  that  there  was 
no  such  land  in  the  center  of  Davis'  Strait  as  James' 
Island,  which  was  laid  down  in  most  of  the  charts. 
Nothing  deserving  of  notice  occurred  in  the  subsequent 
course  of  the  vessels  past  Cape  Walsingham  to  Cum- 
berland Strait. 

The  1st  of  October  having  arrived,  the  limit  to  which 
his  instructions  permitted  him  to  remain  out,  lloss 
shaped  his  course  homeward,  and  after  encountering  a 
Revere  gale  oif  Cape  Farewell,  arrived  in  Grimsby 
Roads  on  the  14tJi  of  November.  As  respects  the  pur- 
pose of  Arctic  discovery,  this  voyage  may  be  considered 
almost  a  blank,  none  of  the  important  inlets  and  sounds 
of  Baffin's  Bay  having  been  explored,  and  all  that  was 
done  was  to  define  more  clearly  the  land-bounds  of 
Davis'  Strait  and  Bafiin's  Bay,  if  we  except  the  valu- 
able magnetic  and  other  observations  made  by  Captain 
Sabine.  The  commander  of  the  expedition  was  pro- 
moted to  the  rank  of  captain  on  paying  off  tl  e  ships  in 
December,  1818. 

The  account  of  his  voyage,  published  by  Capt.  Ross, 
is  0-'  tii).  most  meager  and  uninteresting  description, 
auv.  "*  ,  J  than  half  filled  with  dry  details  of  the  outfit, 
co^',  ;f  his  instructions,  of  his  routine  letters  and 
orders  .«  1*^6  oflicers,  &c. 

BUCHAN   AND  FbANKIJN. 

Dorothea  and  Trent  to  Pole,  1818. 

In  conjunction  with  the  expedition  of  Captain  Jolift 
Ross,  was  that  sent  out  to  the  coast  of  Spitzbergen,  ana 
0.  which  Captain  Beechy  has  published  a  most  inter- 
Crftj  {!:  account,  embellisned  with  some  very  elegan»: 
ilUisL/aiious  from  his  pencil.  The  charge  of  it  was 
given  to  Captain  D.  Buchan,  who  had,  a  lew  years  pre- 
viously, conducted  a  very  interesting  expedition  mtfl 


J«  I 


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4<r 


PROGRESS   OF   ARCTIC   DISCOVERT. 


tho  interior  of  Newfoundland.  The  first  and  most  ini 
portant  object  of  this  expedition  was  the  discovery  of 
a  passage  over  or  as  near  the  Pole,  as  might  be  possible, 
and  through  Behring's  Straits  into  the  Pacific.  But  it 
was  also  hoped  that  it  might  at  the  same  time  be  the 
means  of  improving  the  geography  and  hydrography 
of  the  Arctic  regions,  of  which  so  little  was  at  that  tune 
known,  and  contribute  to  the  advancement  of  science 
and  natural  knowledge.  The  objects  to  which  attention 
was  specially  pointed  in  the  Admiralty  instructions, 
were  the  variation  an  !  iprlination  of  the  magnetic  nee- 
dle, the  intensity  of  the  ^netic  force,  and  how  far  it 
is  affected  bv  atmospheri;  i  electricity;  the  tempera- 
ture of  the  air,  the  dip  of  the  honzon,  refraction,  height 
of  the  tides,  set  and  velocity  of  the  currents,  depths 
and  soundings  of  the  sea.  Collections  of  specimens  to 
illustrate  the  animal,  mineral  and  vegetable  kingdoms, 
were  also  directed  to  be  made. 
The  ofiicers  and  crew  appointed  to  these  vessels  were : 

Dorothea,  382  tons. 

Captain  —  David  Buchan. 

Lieutenant  —  A.  Morell. 

Surgeon  —  John  Duke. 

Assistant  Surgeon  —  W.  G.  Borland. 

Purser  —  John  Jermain. 

Astronomer — George  Fisher. 

Admiralty  Mates  —  C.  Palmer  and  "W".  J.  Dealy. 

Greenland  Pilots  —  P.  Bruce,  master  ;  G.  Crawfurd, 

mate. 
46  petty  officers,  seamen,  &c. 

Total  complement,  56. 

Trent,  249  tons. 

Lieutenant  and  Commander  —  John  Franklin. 

Lieutenant  —  Fred.  W.  Beechy,  (artist.) 

Purser  —  W.  Barrett. 

Assistant  Surgeon  —  A.  Gilfillan. 

Admiralty  Mates — A.  Reid  and  George  Back 

Greenland  Pilots  —  G.  Fife,  master  ;  G.  Kirby,  jjbmi9> 

80  petty  ofiicers  .and  seamen. 

Total  complement  38. 


▼t)YA.OB  OF  BUCHAN   AND   FBANKLIN. 


41 


Having  been  properly  fitted  for  the  service,  and  ta^ 
ken  on  board  two  years'  provisio'js,  the  ships  sailed  on 
the  25th  of  April.  The  Trent  had  hardly  got  clear  of 
the  river  before  she  sprang  a  leak,  and  was  detained  in 
tie  port  of  Lerwick  nearly  a  fortnight  undergoing 
,  pairs. 

On  the  18th  of  May,  the  ships  encountered  a  severe 
i^ale,  and  under  even  storm  stay-sails  were  buried  gun- 
Kvale  deep  in  the  waves.  On  the  24th  they  sighted 
Cherie  Island,  situated  in  lat.  74''  33'  N.,  and  long.  17° 
10'  E.,  formerly  so  noted  for  its  fishery,  being  much 
frequented  by  walrusses,  and  for  many  years  the  Mus- 
covy Company  carried  on  a  lucrative  trade  by  sending 
ih'im  to  the  island  for  oil,  as  many  as  a  thousand  ani- 
oaals  being  often  captured  by  the  crew  of  a  single  ship 
in  the  course  of  six  or  seven  hours. 

The  progress  of  the  discovery  ships  through  the  small 
floes  and  nuge  masses  of  ice  which  floated  in  succes- 
sion past,  was  slow,  and  these,  from  their  novelty,  were 
regarded  with  peculiar  attention  from  the  grotesque 
shapes  they  assume.  The  progress  of  a  vessel  through 
such  a  labyrinth  of  frozen  masses  is  one  of  the  most  in- 
teresting sights  that  ofier  in  the  Arctic  seas,  and  kept 
the  officers  and  crew  out  of  their  beds  till  a  late  hour 
watching  the  scene.  Capt.  Beechey,  the  graphic  nar- 
rator of  the  voyage,  thus  describes  the  general  impres- 
sion created  : — "  There  was  besMes,  on  this  occasion, 
an  additional  motive  for  remaining  up;  verv  few  of 
us  had  ever  seen  the  sun  at  midnight,  and  this  night 
happening  to  be  particularly  clear,  his  broad  red  disc, 
curiously  distorted  by  refraction,  and  sweeping  majes- 
tically along  the  nortnern  horizon,  was  an  object  of  im- 
posing grandeur,  which  riveted  to  the  deck  some  of  oui 
crew,  wuo  would  perhaps  have  beheld  with  indifierence 
bhe  less  imposing  effect  of  the  icebergs;  or  it  might  have 
been  a  combination  of  both  these  phenomena ;  for  it 
cannot  be  denied  that  the  novelty,  occasioned  by  the 
floating  masses,  was  materially  heightened  by  the  sin- 
gular effect  produced  by  the  very  low  altitude  at  which 
tiio  sun  cast  lis  fiery  beams  over  the  icy  surface  of  tiui 


/ 


N 


48 


PROGRESS    OF   ARCTIC   DISCOVERT. 


iii 


gea.  The  rays  were  too  oblique  to  illuminate  more  tLan 
the  inequalities  of  the  floee,  and  falling  thus  partially 
on  the  grotesque  shapes,  either  really  assumea  by  tifa 
ice  or  distorted  by  the  unequal  refraction  of  the  atmos- 
phere, so  betrayed  the  imagination  that  it  required  no 
great  exertion  of  fancy  to  trace  in  various  directions  ar- 
chitectural edifices,  grottos  and  caves  here  and  there 
glittering  as  if  with  precious  metals.  So  generally,  in- 
deed, was  the  deception  admitted,  that,  in  directing 
the  route  of  the  vessel  from  aloft,  we  for  awhile  deviated 
from  our  nautical  phraseology,  and  shaped  our  course 
for  a  church,  a  tower,  a  bridge,  or  some  similar  stnicture^ 
instead  of  for  lumps  of  ice,  which  were  usually  desig- 
nated by  less  elegant  appellations.'' 

The  increasing  difficulties  of  this  ice  navigation  soon, 
however,  directed  their  attention  from  romance  to  tke 
reality  of  their  position,  the  perils  of  which  soon  be- 
came alarmingly  apparent. 

"  The  streamfi  of  ice,  between  which  we  at  first  pur- 
sued onr  serpentine  course  with  comparative  ease,  grad- 
ually became  more  narrow,  and  at  length  so  impeded 
the  navigation,  that  it  became  necessary  to  run  the  ships 
against  some  of  these  imaginary  edifices,  in  order  to  turn 
them  aside.  Even  this  did  not  alwavs  succeed,  as  some 
were  so  substantial  and  immoveable,  that  the  vessels 
glanced  off  to  the  opposite  bank  of  the  channel,  and 
then  became  for  a  time  embedded  in  the  ice.  Thus  cir- 
cumstanced, a  vessel  has  no  other  resource  than  that  of 
patientlv  awaiting  the  change  of  position  in  the  ice,  of 
which  she  must  take  every  advantage,  or  she  will  settle 
bodily  to  leeward,  and  become  completely  entangled.* 

On  the  26th  the  ships  sighted  the  southern  promon- 
tory of  Spitzbergen,  and  on  the  28th,  while  plying  to 
windward  on  the  western  side,  were  overtaken  by  a 
violent  cale  at  southwest,  in  which  they  parted  com 
pany.  The  weather  was  very  severe.  "The  snow  fell 
in  heavy  showers,  and  several  tons  weight  of  ice  accu- 
mulatea  about  the  sides  of  the  brig,  (the  Trent,)  and  form 
ed  a  complete  casing  to  the  planks,  which  received  ao 
additional  layer  at  each  plunge  of  tiie  vessel.  So  groat 


VOYA&lfi  Uf  BDOHJlN   and  FRAlfKLIU. 


49 


indeed,  was  the  accumulation  about  the  bow8,  that  we 
were  obliged  to  cut  it  away  repeatedly  with  axes  to  re- 
lieve the  bow-sprit  from  the  enormous  weight  that  was 
attached  to  it ;  and  the  ropes  were  so  thickly  covered 
with  ice,  that  it  was  necessary  to  beat  them  with  large 
sticks  to  keep  them  in  a  state  of  readiness  for  any  evo- 
lution that  might  be  rendered  necessary,  either  by  the 
appearance  of  ice  to  leeward,  or  by  a  change  of  wind." 
On  the  gale  abating,  Lieutenant  Franklin  found  him- 
self surrounded  by  the  main  body  of  ice  in  lat.  80°  N., 
and  had  much  difficulty  in  extricating  the  vessel. — 
Had  this  formidable  body  been  encountered  in  thick 
weather,  while  scudding  before  a  gale  of  wind,  there 
v(»uld  have  been  very  little  chance  of  saving  either  the 
vessels  or  the  crews.  The  Trent  fortunately  fell  in  with 
her  consort,  the  Dorothea,  previous  to  entering  the  ap- 

Jointed  rendezvous  at  Magdalena  Bay,  on  the  3d  of 
une.  This  commodious  inlet  being  the  first  port  they 
had  anchored  at  in  the  polar  regions,  possessed  many 
objects  to  engage  attention.  What  particularly  struck 
them  was  the  brilliancy  of  the  atmosphere,  the  peace- 
ful novelty  of  the  scene,  and  the  grandeur  of  the  vari 
ous  objects  with  which  nature  has  stored  these  unfre- 
quented regions.  The  anchorage  is  formed  by  rugged 
mountains,  which  rise  precipitously  to  the  n<°iight  of 
about  3000  feet.  Deep  valleys  and  glens  occur  between 
the  ranges,  the  greater  part  of  which  are  either  filled 
with  immense  beds  of  snow,  or  with  glaciers,  sloping 
from  the  summits  of  the  mountainous  margin  to  the 
very  edge  of  the  sea. 

The  bay  is  rendered  conspicuous  by  four  huge  gla- 
ciers, of  which  the  most  remarkable,  tnough  the  small- 
est in  size,  is  situated  200  feet  above  the  sea,  on  thj 
slope  of  a  mountain.  From  its  peculiar  appearance 
this  glacier  has  been  termed  the  Hanging  Iceberg. 

Its  position  is  such  that  it  seems  as  ii  a  very  small 
matter  would  detach  it  from  the  mountain,  and  precip- 
itate it  into  the  sea.  And,  indeed,  large  portions  of  its 
front  do  occasionally  break:  away  and  fall  with  head- 
long impetuosity  upon  the  beach,  to  the  great  hazard 


SSSBB 


50 


PROGRESS   OF  AKCri'IO    DlSCOVEBf . 


of  auy  boat  that  may  chance  to  be  near.  The  largest 
of  these  glaciers  occupies  the  head  of  the  bav,  and, 
according  to  Captain  Beechey's  account,  extends  I'roin 
two  to  three  miles  inland.  Numerous  large  rents  in  its 
upper  surface  have  caused  it  to  bear  a  resemblance  to 
the  ruts  left  by  a  wagon  ;  hence  it  was  named  by  the 
voyagers  the  "Wagon  Way."  The  frontage  of  this  gla- 
cier presents  a  perpendicular  surface  of  300  feet  in 
height,  by  7000  teet  in  length.    Mountain  masses — 

"  Whose  blocks  of  sapphire  seem  to  mortal  eye 
HewQ  from  cerulean  quames  in  the  sky, 
With  glacier  battlements  that  crowd  the  spheral^ 
The  slorw  creation  of  six  thousand  years^ 
Amidst  immensity  they  tower  sublime, 
Winter's  etemd  palace,  built  by  Time." 

'At  the  head  of  the  bay  there  is  a  high  pyramidal 
mountain  of  granite,  termed  Rotge  Hill,  trom  the  myr- 
iads of  small  birds  of  that  name  which  frequent  its 
base,  and  appear  to  prefer  its  environs  to  every  other 
part  of  the  narbor.  "  They  are  so  numerous  that  we 
nave  frequently  seen  an  uninterrupted  line  of  them  ex- 
tending mil  half  way  over  the  bay,  or  to  a  distance  of 
more  than  three  miles,  and  so  close  together  that  thirty 
have  fallen  at  one  shot.  This  living  column,  on  an  aver- 
age, might  have  been  about  six  yards  broad,  and  as 
many  deep  ;  so  that,  allowing  sixteen  birds  to  a  cubic 
yard,  there  must  have  been  nearly  four  millions  of  birds 
on  the  wing  at  one  time.  The  number  I  have  given  cer- 
tainly seems  large ;  yet  when  it  is  told  that  the  little 
rotges  rise  in  such  numbers  as  completely  'to  darken 
the  air,  and  that  their  chorus  is  distinctly  audible  at  a 
distance  of  four  miles,  the  estimate  will  not  be  thought 
to  bear  any  reduction." 

One  of  their  earliest  excursions  in  this  bay  was  an 
attempt  to  ascend  the  peak  of  Rotge  Hill, "upon  which," 
says  Captain  Beechey,  "  may  now,  perhaps,  be  seen  at 
the  heignt  of  about  2000  feet,  a  staff  that  once  carried 
a  red  nag,  which  was  planted  there  to  mark  the  great- 
est height  we  were  able  to  attain,  partly  in  consequence 
of  the  steepness  of  the  ascent,  but  mainly  on  account 
of  the  detached  masses  of  rock  wh^'ch  a  very  elight 


VOYAQB  OF   BUOUAN   AND   FRANKLIN. 


51 


rht 


matter  would  displace  and  hurl  dowu  the  precipitous 
declivity,  to  the  utter  destruction  of  him  who  depended 
upon  their  support,  or  who  might  happen  to  be  in 
their  path  below.  The  latter  part  of  our  ascent  was, 
indeeo,  much  against  our  inclination  ;  but  we  found  it 
impossible  to  descend  by  the  way  we  had  come  up,  and 
were  compelled  to  gain  a  ledge,  which  promised  the 
only  secure  resting-place  we  could  find  at  that  height. 
This  we  were  able  to  effect  by  sticking  the  tomahawks 
with  which  we  were  provided,  into  crevices  in  the  rock, 
as  a  support  for  our  feet ;  and  some  of  these  instru- 
ments we  were  obliged  to  leave  whare  they  were  driven, 
in  consequence  or  the  danger  that  attended  theii 
recovery."  During  the  vessers  detention  in  this  har- 
bor, the  bay  and  anchorage  were  completely  surveyed. 

When  the  first  party  rowed  into  this  bay,  it  was  in 
quiet  possession  of  herds  of  walruses,  who  were  so  un- 
accustomed to  the  sight  of  a  boat  that  they  assembled 
about  her,  apparently  highly  incensed  at  the  intrusion, 
and  swam  toward  her  as  though  they  would  have  torn 
the  planks  asunder  with  their  tusks.  Their  hides  were 
so  tough  that  nothing  but  a  bayonet  would  pierce  them. 
The  wounds  that  were  inflicted  only  served  to  increase 
their  rag^,  and  it  was  with  much  difficulty  they  were 
kept  off  with  fire-arms.  Subsequently  the  boats  went 
better  prepared  and  more  strongly  supported,  and 
many  of  these  monsters  were  killed  ;  some  were  four- 
teen feet  in  length,  and  nine  feet  girth,  and  of  such 
prodigious  weight,  that  the  boat's  crew  could  scarcely 
turn  them. 

The  ships  had  not  been  many  days  at  their  anchor- 
age when  they  were  tnily  astonished  at  the  sight  of  a 
strange  boat  puUingtoward  the  ships,  which  was  found 
to  belong  to  some  Kussian  adventurers,  who  were  en- 
gaged in  the  collection  of  peltry  and  morse' teeth.  This 
18  9ie  last  remaining  establishment  at  Spitzbergen  still 
npheld  by  the  merchants  of  Archangel. 

Although  equally  sui-priscd  at  the  sight  of  the  ves- 
sels, the  boat's  crew  took  courage,  and  after  a  careful 
scrutiny,  went  on  board  the  Dorothea;  Captain  Buchan 


69 


PROaUK88    OF    ARCTlO    DISCOVERY, 


S  '11 


h.'^w 


fei; 


:li 


gave  them  a  kind  reception,  and  supplied  them  with 
wliatever  tliey  wanted ;  in  return  for  wliich  thej  sent 
on  board,  the  following  day,  a  side  of  venison  in  excel- 
lent condition.  Wishing  to  gain  some  further  informa- 
tion of  these  people,  an  officer  accompanied  them  to 
their  dwelling  at  the  head  of  a  small  cove,  about  four 
miles  distant  from  the  bay,  where  he  found  a  comfort- 
able wooden  hut,  well  lined  with  moss,  and  stored  with 
venison,  wild  ducks,  &c. 

It  is  related  bv  Captain  Beechej  that  it  was  with  ex- 
treme pleasure  they  noticed  in  this  retired  spot,  proba- 
bly the  most  northern  and  most  desolate  habitation  of 
our  globe,  a  spirit  of  gratitude  and  devotion  to  the  Al- 
mighty rarely  exerciaed  in  civilized  countries.  "  On 
landing  from  the  boat  and  approaching  their  residence, 
these  people  knelt  upon  its  tnreshold,  and  offered  up  a 
prayer  with  fervor  and  evident  sincerity.  The  exact 
nature  of  the  praver  we  did  not  learn,  but  it  was  no 
doubt  one  of  thanksgiving,  and  we  concluded  it  was  a 
custom  which  these  recluses  were  in  the  habit  of  observ- 
iiiff  on  their  t.  \fe  return  to  their  habitation.  It  may,  9 1 
all  events,  be  regarded  as  an  instance  of  the  beneficial 
effects  which  sedusion  from  the  busy  world,  and  a  con- 
templation of  the  works  of  nature,  almost  invariably 
produce  upon  the  hearts  of  even  the  most  uneducated 
part  of  mankind." 

On  the  7th  of  June  the  expedition  left  the  anchorage 
to  renew  the  examination  of  the  ice,  and  after  steering 
a  few  leagues  to  the  northward,  found  it  precisely  in 
the  same  state  as  it  had  been  left  on  the  2a.  In  spite 
of  all  their  endeavors,  by  towing  and  otherwise,  the 
vessels  were  driven  in  a  calm  by  the  heavy  swell  into 
the  packed  ice,  and  the  increasing  peril  oi  their  situa 
tion  may  be  imagined  from,  the  following  graphic  de- 
Bcription :  — 

"The  pieces  at  the  edge  of  the  pack  were  at  one  time 
wholly  immersed  in  the  sea,  and  at  the  next  raised  far 
above  their  natural  line  of  flotation,  while  those  further 
'%iL,  being  more  extensive.,  were  alternately  depressed  or 


VOTAGE    OF   BUCIIAJ!^    AHV   FKANKLIN. 


rage 
iring 

|y  ill 
jpite 

the 
J  into 
[itua 

do- 


elevated   at  either  extremity  as  the  advancing  wave 
forced  its  way  along. 

"Tlie  see-saw  motion  which  was  thus  produced  was 
alarming,  not  merely  in  appeai'ance,  but  in  fact,  and 
must  have  proved  fatal  to  any  vessel  that  had  encoun- 
tered it ;  as  floes  of  ice,  several  yards  in  thickness,  were 
continually  crashing  and  breaKing  in  pieces,  and  the 
sea  for  miles  was  covered  with  fragments  ground  so 
small  that  they  actually  formed  a  thick,  pasty  sub- 
stance—  in  nautical  language  termed,  ''lr<i's/i  ice'  — 
which  extended  to  the  depth  of  five  feet.    Amidst  this 
giddy  element,  our  whole  attention  was  occ    )ied  in  en- 
deavoring to  place  the  bow  of  tlie  vessel,  the  strongest 
part  of  her  frame,  in  the  direction  of  the  most  formida- 
ble pieces  of  ice  —  a  maneuver  which,  though  likely  to 
be  attended  with  the  loss  of  the  bowsprit,  was  yet  prefer- 
able to  encountering  the  still  greater  risk  of  having  the 
broadside  of  the  vessel  in  contact  with  it ;  for  this  would 
have  subjected  her  to  the  chance  of  dipping  her  gun- 
wale under  the  floes  as  she  rolled,  an  accident  which, 
had  it  occurred,  would  either  have  laid  open  her  side, 
or  have  overset  the  vessel  at  once.    In  either  case,  the 
event  would  probably  have  proved  fatal  to  all  on  board, 
as  it  would  have  been  next  to  impossible  to  rescue  any 
person  from  the  confused  moving  mass  of  brash  ice 
which  covered  the  sea  in  every  direction." 

The  attention  of  the  seamen  was  in  some  degree  di- 
verted from  the  contemplation  of  this  scene  of  diffi- 
culty by  the  necessity  oi  employing  all  hands  at  the 
pump,  the  leak  having  gained  upon  them.  But,  for- 
tunately, toward  morning,  they  got  quite  clear  of  the 
ice. 

Steering  to  the  westward  to  reconnoiter,  they  fell  in, 
m  longitude  4°  30'  E.,  with  several  whale  ships,  and 
were  informed  by  them  that  the  ice  was  quite  compact 
to  the  westward,  and  that  fifteen  vessels  were  beset  in 
it.  Proceeding  to  the  northward,  the  ships  passed,  on 
the  11th  of  June,  Cloven  Cliff,  a  remarkable  isolated 
rock,  which  marks  the  northwestern  boundary  of  Spitz- 
bergen,  and  steered  along  an  intricate  channel  between 


afaOBK 


fi^i 


t-'fi    Tl!!! 

I 


!l 


iii! 


54 


PB00RE8S   OP   ARCrriO   DI8COVEET. 


the  land  and  ice  ;  but,  next  morning,  their  further  ad 
vance  was  stopped,  and  the  channel  by  which  tlie  ves 
iels  had  entered  became  so  completely  closed  up  us  to 

Sreclude  the  possibility  also  of  retreating.    Lieutenant 
eechey  proceeds  to  state  — 

"  The  ice  soon  began  to  press  heavily  upon  us,  and, 
to  add  to  our  difficulties,  we  found  the  water  so  shallow 
that  the  rocks  were  plainly  discovered  under  the  bot- 
toms of  the  ships.  It  was  impossible,  however,  by  any 
exertion  on  our  part,  to  improve  the  situations  of  the 
vessels.  They  were  as  firmly  fixed  in  the  ice  as  if  they 
had  formed  part  of  the  pack,  and  we  could  only  hope 
that  the  current  would  not  drift  them  into  still  shallower 
water,  and  damage  them  against  the  ground." 

The  ships  were  here  hemmed  in  in  almost  the  same 
position  where  Baffin,  Iludson,  Poole,  Captain  Phipps, 
and  all  the  early  voyagers  to  this  quarter  had  been 
ed. 

At-  the  |;ide  turned,  the  pieces  of  ico  immediately 
around  the  ships  began  to  separate,  and  some  of  them 
to  twist  round  with  a  loud  grinding  noise,  urging  the 
vessels,  which  were  less  than  a  mile  from  the  land,  still 
nearer  and  nearer  to  the  beach. 

By  great  exertions  the  ships  were  hauled  into  smaL 
bays  in  the  floe,  and  secured  there  by  ropes  fixed  to  the 
ice  by  means  of  large  iron  hooks,  called  ice  anchors. 
Shifting  the  ships  from  one  part  of  this  floe  to  the  other, 
they  remained  attached  to  the  ice  thirteen  days.  As 
this  change  of  position  could  only  be  eifected  by  main 
force,  the  crew  were  so  constantly  engaged  in  this  har- 
assing duty,  that  their  time  was  divided  almost  entirely 
between  the  windlass  and  the  pump,  until  the  men  at 
length  became  so  fatigued  that  the  sick-list  was  seriously 
augmented.  During  this  period,  however,  the  situation 
of  the  leak  was  fortunately  discovered,  and  the  damage 
repaired. 

An  officer  and  a  party  of  men  who  left  the  Dorothea 
to  pay  a  visit  to  the  shore,  about  three  or  four  mileg 
distant,  lost  themselves  in  the  fog  and  snow,  and  wan- 
dered about  for  sixteen  hours,  until,  quite  overcome 


VOYAGE   OF   nUOHAW   AND  FItANKLIN. 


5& 


frith  wet,  cold  and  fatigue,  they  sat  down  in  a  state  of 
despondency,  upon  a  piece  of  ice,  dctonnined  to  submit 
tlioir  fate  to  Providence.     Their  troubles  are  thus  told 

"To  travel  over  ragged  pieces  of  ice,  upon  whicl: 
there  were  two  feet  of  snow,  and  often  more,  sprineiing 
from  one  slippery  piece  to  the  other,  or,  when  the  cnan- 
nels  between  them  were  too  wide  for  tliis  purpose,  fer 
rying  themselves  upon  detached  tragraents,  was  a  work 
whicli  it  required  no  ordinary  exertion  to  execute. 

"Some  fell  into  the  water,  and  were  with  difficulty 
preserved  from  drowning  by  their  conxpanions ;  while 
others,  afraid  to  make  l^ny  hazardous  attempt  whatever, 
were  left  upon  pieces  of  ice,  and  drifted  about  at  the 
mercy  of  tne  wmds  and  tides.  Foreseeing  the  proba- 
bility of  a  separation,  they  took  tlio  first  opportunity 
of  dividing,  in  equal  shares,  the  small  qunitity  of  pro- 
vision which  they  had  remaining,  as  also  their  stock  of 
powder  and  ammunition.  They  also  took  it  in  turns  to 
tire  muskets,  in  the  hone  of  being  heard  from  the  ships." 

The  reports  of  the  nre-anns  were  heard  by  their  ship- 
mates, and  Messrs.  Fife  and  Kirby,  the  Greenland  ice- 
masters,  ventured  out  with  poles  and  lines  to  their 
assistance,  and  had  the  good  fortune  to  fall  in  with  the 

f)arty,  and  bring  them  safely  on  board,  after  eighteen 
lours'  absence.  They  determined  in  future  to  rest  sat- 
isfied with  the  view  of  the  shore  which  was  afforded 
them  from  the  ship,  having  not  the  slightest  desire  to 
attempt  to  approach  it  again  by  means  of  the  ic«. 

The  pressure  of  the  ice  agamst  the  vessels  now  ho- 
came  very  great. 

"At  one  time,  when  th^ Trent  appeared  to  be  so  closely 
wedged  up  that  it  did  not  seem  possible  for  her  to  be 
moved,  she  was  suddenly  lifted  four  feei  by  an  enor- 
mous mass  of  ice  getting  under  her  keel ;  at  another, 
the  fragments  of  the  crumbling  floe  were  piled  up 
under  the  bows,  to  the  great  danger  of  the  bowsprit. 

"The Dorothea  was  in  no  less  imminent  danger,  es- 
pecially from  the  point  of  a  floe,  which  came  in  contact 
with  her  side,  where  it  remained  a  short  time,  and  then 
glanced  off,  and  became  checked  by  the  field  to  whicli 


.jiii'tfCDiffli 


mm. 


U:l'i^         ^ 


..I 


;Sf:':''i' 


■im 


fltS'l  I    i'Mi- 


ii'H 


56 


PROGKK8S   OF    ARCTIO   DISCOVERT. 


she  was  moored.  The  enormous  pressure  to  which  the 
ship  had  been  sulyected  was  now  apparent  by  the  field 
being  rent^  and  its  point  broken  into  tVaffraents,  wliieh 
were  srcc':Mly  heaped  up  in  a  pyramid,  tliirty-five  feet 
in  heii^ht,  upon  tlie  very  summit  of  wliich  there  ap 
peared  a  huge  mass,  bearing  the  impression  of  the 
planks  and  bolts  of  tlie  vessel's  bottom." 

Availing  themselves  of  a  break  in  the  ice,  the  ships 
were  moved  to  an  anchorage  between  the  islands  con- 
tiguous to  the  Cloven  Clifl ;  and  on  the  28th  of  June, 
anchored  in  fifteen  fathoms  water,  near  Yogel  Sang. 
On  the  islands  they  found  plenty  of  game,  and  eidei*- 
d  neks. 

The  island  of  Vogel  Sang  alone  supplied  the  crews 
with  forty  reindeer,  which  were  in  such  high  condition 
that  the  fat  uj)on  the  loins  of  some  measured  from  four 
to  six  inches,  and  a  carcass,  ready  for  being  dressed, 
weighed  285  pounds.  Later  in  the  season,  the  deer 
were,  however,  so  lean  that  it  was  rare  to  meet  with  any 
fat  upon  them  at  all. 

On  the  Gth  cf  July,  finding  the  ic«  had  been  driven 
to  t\v  northwArd,  the  ships  again  put  to  sea,  and  Capt. 
Buchtin  determined  to  prove,  by  a  desperate  effort, 
what  advance  it  ;v'a8  possible  to  make  by  dragging  tlie 
vessels  thrrngh  the  ice  whenever  the  smallest  opening 
occurred.  This  laborious  experiment  was  performed 
by  fixing  large  ropes  to  iron  hooks  driven  into  the  ice, 
and  by  heaving  upon  them  with  the  windlass,  a  party 
removing  obstructions  in  the  channel  "\  ith  saws.  But 
in  spite  of  all  their  exertions,  the  most  northerly  posi- 
tion attained  was  80°  37'  N.  Althorgh  fastened  to  the 
ice,  the  ships  were  now  drifted' bodily  to  the  southward 
by  the  prevailing  current.  They  were  also  much  in- 
'ured  by  the  pressure  of  hummocks  and  fields  of  ice. 

On  the  10th  of  July,  Captain  Beechey  tells  ug,  the 
Trent  sustained  a  squeeze  which  made  her  rise  four 
feet,  and  heel  over  five  streaks  ;  and  on  the  15th  and 
16th,  both  vessels  suffered  considerable  damage.  "On 
that  occasion,"  he  says,  "we  observed  a  field  fifteen 
feet  in  thickness  break  up,  and  the  pieces  pile  upon 


VOYAGE   OF   BUC'HAN    A>JD   FKAJ^KUN.  5  4 

each  other  to  a  great  height,  liiitil  t  jey  upset,  when  they 
rolled  over  with  a  tremendous  crash.  1  'le  ice  near  the 
ehipswas  piled  up  above  their  bulwarks.  Fortunat<^.'y, 
the  vessels  rose  to  the  pressure,  or  they  must  have  had 
tlieir  sides  forced  in.  The  Trent  received  her  greatest 
damage  upon  the  quarters,  and  was  so  twisted  that  the 
doors  of  all  the  cabins  flew  open,  and  the  panels  ol 
some  started  in  the  frames,  while  her  false  stern-post 
was  moved  three  inches,  and  her  timbers  cracked  to  a 
most  serious  extent.  The  Dorothea  suffered  still  more : 
some  of  her  beams  were  sprung,  and  two  planks  on  the 
lower  deck  were  split  fore  and  afl,  and  doubled  up,  and 
she  otherwise  sustained  serious  injury  in  her  hull.  It 
was  in  vain  that  we  attempted  any  relief;  our  puny 
efforts  were  not  even  felt,  though  contmued  for  eight 
hours  with  unabated  zeal ;  and  it  was  not  until  the  tide 
changed  that  the  smallest  effect  was  produced.  When, 
however,  that  occurred  the  vessels  nghted  and  settled 
in  the  water  to  their  proper  draught." 

From  the  12th  to  the  19th,  they  were  closely  beset 
with  ice.  For  nine  successive  days  following  this  the 
crews  were  occupied,  night  and  day,  in  endeavoring  to 
extricate  the  ships,  and  regain  the  open  sea.  Thinking 
he  had  given  the  ice  a  fair  trial  here,  the  commander 
detennined  upon  examining  its  coi  dition  toward  the 
eastern  coast  of  Greenland,  and  in  the  event  of  finding 
it  equally  impenetrable  there,  to  proceed  round  the 
south  cape  ol  Spitzbergen,  and  make  an  attempt  be- 
tween that  island  and  Nova  Zembla. 

On  the  30th  of  July,  a  sudden  gale  cme  on,  and 
brought  down  the  main  body  of  the  ice  upon  them,  so 
that  the  ships  were  in  such  imminent  danger  that  their 
only  means  of  safety  was  to  take  reftige  among  it  —  a 
practice  which  has  been  resorted  to  by  whalei-s  in  ex- 
treme cases  —  as  their  only  chance  of  escaping  destruc- 
tion. 

The  following  is  a  description  of  the  preparation 
made  to  withstand  the  terrible  encounter,  and  the  hair- 
breadth escape  from  the  dangerp^ :  — 

"  In  order  to  avert  the  effofta  of  this  as  ipnch  as  pos- 
3 


jL::'-j>!'.CJiaaia^H 


58 


PROGKESS   OF   AKOTIO   DISCOVEET. 


■\.\ 


sible,  a  cable  was  cut  up  into  thirty-feet  leufftha,  ana 
these,  with  plates  of  iron  four  feet  square,  which  had 
been  supplied  to  us  as  fenders,  together  with  some 
walrus'  hides,  were  hung  round  the  vessels,  especially 
about  the  bows.  The  masts,  at  the  same  time,  were  se* 
cured  with  additional  ropes,  and  the  hatches  were  bat- 
tened and  nailed  down.  By  the  time  these  precautions 
had  been  taken,  our  approach  to  the  breakers  only  left 
us  the  alternative  of  either  permitting  the  ships  to  be 
drifted  broadside  against  the  ice,  and  so  to  take  their 
chance,  or  of  endeavoring  to  force  fairly  into  it  by  put- 
ting before  the  wind.  At  length,  the  hopeless  state  of 
a  vessel  placed  broadside  against  so  formidable  a  body 
becaiTie  apparent  to  all,  and  we  resolved  to  attempt 
the  latter  expedient." 

Eagerly,  but  in  vain,  was  the  general  line  of  the  pack 
scanned,  to  find  one  place  more  open  than  the  other. 
All  parts  appeared  to  be  equally  impenetrable,  and  to 
present  one  unbroken  line  of  furious  breakers,  in  which 
immense  pieces  of  ice  were  heaving  and  subsiding  with 
the  waves,  and  dashing  together  with  a  violence  which 
nothing  apparently  but  a  solid  body  could  withstand, 
occasioning  such  a  noise  that  it  was  with  the  greatesi 
difficulty  the  officers  could  make  their  orders  heard  bj' 
the  crew. 

The  fearful  aspect  of  this  appalling  scene  is  thus 
sketched  by  Captain  Beechey :  — 

"  No  language,  I  am  convinced,  can  convey  an  ade- 
quate idea  of  the  terrific  grandeur  of  the  effect  now  pro- 
duced  by  the  collision  of  the  ice  and  the  tempestuous 
ocean.  The  sea,  violently  agitated  and  rolling  its  moun- 
tainous waves  against  an  opposing  body,  is  at  all  times 
a  sublime  and  awful  sight ;  but  when,  in  addition,  it 
encounters  immense  masses,  which  it  has  set  in  motion 
with  a  violence  equal  to  its  own,  its  effect  is  prodigi- 
ously increased.  At  one  moment  it  bursts  upon  these 
icy  fragments  and  buries  them  many  feet  beneath  its 
wave,  and  the  next,  as  the  buoyancy  of  the  depressed 
body  struggles  for  reascendancy,  the  water  rushes  ir 
foaming  cataracts  over  its  edges ;  while  every  ind^ 


'I.  i 

M       I.. 

Il'li' 


VOTAGB  OF  BUCHAN  AND  FRANKLIN. 


59 


J^idual  mass,  rockinff  and  labonng  in  its  bed,  grinds 
against  and  contends  with  its  opponent,  until  one  is 
either  split  with  the  shock  or  nplieaved  upon  the  3ur- 
tkce  of  the  other.  Nor  is  this  collision  confined  to  any 
particular  spot ;  it  is  going  on  as  far  as  the  sight  can 
reach ;  and  when  from  this  convulsive  scene  below,  the 
eye  is  turned  to  the  extraordinary  appearance  of  thtf 
blink  in  the  sky  abo^re,  where  the  unnatural  clear- 
ness of  a  calm  and  silvery  atmosphere  presents  itself, 
bounded  by  a  dark,  hard  line  of  stormy  clouds,  such  as 
at  this  moment  lowered  over  our  masts,  as  if  to  mark 
the  confines  within  which  the  efibrts  of  man  would  be 
of  no  avail.  The  reader  may  imagine  the  sensation  of 
awe  which  must  accompany  that  of  grandeur  in  the 
mind  of  the  beholder." 

"  If  ever,"  continues  the  narrator,  "  the  fortitude  of 
seamen  was  fuirly  tried,  it  was  assuredly  not  less  bo  on 
this  occasion  ;  and  I  will  not  conceal  the  pride  I  felt  in 
witnessing  the  bold  and  decisive  tone  m  which  the 
orders  were  issued  by  the  commander  (tho  present 
Captain  Sir  John  Franklin)  of  our  little  vessel,  and  the 
promptitude  and  steadiness  with  which  ♦hey  were  exe- 
cuted by  the  crew." 

As  the  laboring  vessel  flew  before  the  gale,  she  soon 
oeared  the  scene  of  danger. 

"Each  person  instinctively  secured  his  own  he  1, 
and  with  nis  eyes  fixed  upon  the  masts,  awaited  in 
breathless  anxiety  the  moment  of  concussion. 

"  It  soon  arrived,-^— the  brig,  (Trent)  cutting  her  way 
through  the  light  ice,  came  m  violent  contact  with  the 
main  Dody.  &  an  instant  we  all  lost  our  footing  ;  the 
jnasts  bent  with  the  impetus,  and  the  cracking  timbers 
Q'om  below  bespoke  a  pressure  which  was  calculated  to 
awaken  our  serious  apprehensions.  The  vessel  stag- 
gered under  the  shock,  and  for  a  moment  seemed  to 
recoil ;  but  the  next  wave,  curling  up  under  her  coun- 
ter, drove  he^  about  her  own  length  within  the  margin 
of  the  ioe,  where  she  gave  one  roll,  and  was  imnicdi- 
ately  thrown  broadside  to  the  wind  by  the  succeeding 
wave,  which  beat  furiously  agaiust  her  stem,  and 


■m 


60 


FBOOKESS  OF   AKOIIO  DISCOVSBT. 


brought  her  lee-side  in  contact  with  the  main  body, 
leaving  her  weather-side  exposed  at  the  fiame  time  to 
a  piece  of  ice  about  twice  ner  own  dimenbions.  This 
mitbrtunate  occurrence  prevented  the  vessel  penetrat- 
ing sufficiently  far  into  the  ice  to  escape  the  effect  of 
the  gale,  and  placed  her  in  a  situation  where  she  was 
assaued  on  all  sides  by  battering-rams,  ^\'  I  may  use 
the  expression,  every  one  of  which  contested  the  small 
space  which  she  occupied,  and  dealt  such  unrelenting 
blows,  that  there  appeared  to  be  scarcely  any  possibil- 
ity of  saving  her  from  foundering.  Literally  tossed 
from  piece  to  piece,  we  had  nothing  left  but  patiently 
to  abide  the  issue  ;  for  we  could  scarcely  keep  our  feet, 
much  less  render  any  assistance  to  the  vessel.  The  mo- 
tion, indeed,  was  so  great,  that  the  ship's  bell,  which,  in 
the  heaviest  gale  ot  wind,  had  never  stinick  of  itself, 
now  tolled  so  continually,  that  it  was  ordered  to  be 
muffled,  for  the  purpose  of  escaping  the  unpleasant  as 
sociation  it  was  calculated  to  produce. 

"  In  anticipation  of  the  worst,  we  detennined  to  at 
tempt  placing  the  launch  upon  the  ice  under  the  lee, 
and  hurried  into  her  such  provisions  and  stores  as  could 
at  the  moment  be  ffot  at.  Serious  doubts  were  reason- 
ably entertained  of  the  boat  being  able  to  live  among 
the  confiised  mass  by  which  we  were  encompassed;  ye* 
as  this  appeared  to  be  our  only  refuge,  we  clung  to  it 
with  all  the  eagerness  of  a  last  resource." 

From  the  injury  the  vessel  repeatedly  received,  it 
became  very  evident  that  if  subjected  t(»  this  concus- 
sion for  any  time,  she  could  not  hold  together  long  ;  the 
only  chance  of  escape,  therefore,  appeared  to  'Impend 
upon  getting  before  the  wind,  and  penetrating  further 
into  the  ice. 

To  effect  this  with  any  probability  of  success,  it  be- 
came necessary  to  set  more  head-sail,  though  at  the 
risk  of  the  masts,  already  tottering  with  the  pressure 
of  that  which  was  spread.  By  the  expertness  ot  the 
seamen,  more  sail  was  spread,  and  under  this  additional 
pressure  of  canvass,  the  ship  came  into  the  desired 
position,  and  with  the  aid  of  an  enormone  mass  under 


VOYAGE   OF    BUOnAJN    AND   FRANKLIH. 


61 


the  stern,  she  split  a  small  field  of  ice,  fourteen  feet  in 
thickness,  whidi  had  hitherto  impeded  her  pi  ogress, 
and  effected  a  passage  for  herself  between  the  pieces. 

In  this  improved  position,  by  carefully  placing  the 
protecting  fenders  between  the  ice  and  the  ship's  sides, 
the  strokes  were  much  diminished,  and  she  managed 
to  weather  out  the  gale,  but  lost  sight  of  her  consort  in 
the  clouds  of  spray  which  were  tossed  about,  and  the 
huge  intervening  masses  of  ice  among  which  they  were 
embayed.  On  the  gale  moderating,  the  ships  were  for- 
tunately got  once  more  into  an  open  sea,  although  both 
disabled,  and  one  at  least,  the  Dorothea,  which  had 
sustained  the  heavy  shocks,  in  a  foundering  condition. 
For  che  main  object  of  the  expedition  they  were  now 
useless,  and,  both  being  in  a  leaky  state,  they  bore  up 
for  Fair  Haven,  in  Spitzbergen.  In  approaching  the 
anchorage  in  South  Gat,  the  Trent  bounded  over  A 
sunken  rock,  and  struck  hard,  but  this,  after  their  r» 
cent  danger,  was  thought  comparatively  li^^ht  of. 

On  examining  the  hulls  of  the  vessels,  it  was  found 
they  had  sustained  fi*ightful  injuries.  The  intermediate 
lining  of  felt  between  the  timbers  and  planks  seems  to 
have  aided  greatly  in  enabling  the  vessels  to  sustain 
tlie  repeated  powerfal  shocks  they  had  encountered. 
Upon  consulting  with  his  officers.  Captain  Buchan  came 
to  the  opinion  that  the  most  prudent  course,  was  to 
patch  up  the  vessels  for  their  return  voyage.  Lieuten- 
ant Franklin  preferred  an  urgent  request  tliat  he  might 
be  allowed  to  proceed  in  his  own  vessel  upon  the  inter- 
esting service  still  unexecuted  ;  but  this  could  not  be 
complied  with,  in  consequence  of  the  hazard  to  the 
crew  of  j)roceeding  home  singly  in  a  vessel  so  shat- 
tered and  unsafe  as  the  Dorothea.  After  refitting,  they 
put  'i;o  sea  at  the  end  of  August,  and  reached  England 
Dy  the  middle  of  October. 

Franklin's  First  Land  ExPEDmoN,  1819-21. 

It- 

In  1819,  on  the  recommendation  of  the  Lords  of  tho 
Admiralty,  Capt.  Franklin  was  appointed  to  command 


■MP^*M 


I 


'¥V 


^ 


68 


VB06BE8S  OF  ABOTIO   DISOOYEST. 


an  overland  expedition  from  Hudson's  Bay  to  the  north- 
ern shores  of  America,  for  the  purpose  of  determining 
the  latitudes  and  longitudes,  and  exploring  the  coast  of 
the  continent  eastward  from  the  Coppermine  River.  Dr 
John  Richardson,  R.  N.,  and  two  Admiralty  Midship 
men,  Mr.  George  Back,  (who  had  been  out  on  the  polai 
expedition,  in  the  previous  year,  in  H.  M.  S.  Trent,)  and 
Mr.  Robert  Hood,  were  placed  under  his  orders.  Pre- 
vious to  his  departure  from  London,  Capt.  Franklin  ob- 
tained all  the  information  and  advice  possible  from  Sir 
Alex.  Mackenzie,  one  of  tlie  only  two  persons  who  had 
yet  explored  those  shores.  On  the  23d  of  May,  the  party 
embaAed  at  Gravesend,  in  the  Prince  of  Wales,  bdong- 
ing  to  tlie  Hudson's  Bay  Company,  wliich  immediately 

fot  under  wei^h  in  company  with  her  consorts,  the  Ed- 
ystone  and  Wear.  Mr.  Back,  who  was  left  on  shore  by 
accident  in  Yarmouth,  succeeded  in  catching  the  ship  at 
Stromness.  On  the  ith  of  August,  in  lat.  59°  58' N., 
and  long.  59°  53'  W.,  they  first  fell  in  with  large  icebergs. 
On  the  following  day,  the  height  of  one  was  ascertained 
to  be  149  feet.  After  a  stormy  and  perilous  voyage  they 
reached  the  anchorage  at  York  Flats  on  the  30th  of 
August. 

On  the  9th  of  September,  Capt.  Franklin  and  his  party 
left  York  Factory  m  a  boat  b^-  the  way  of  the  rivers  and 
lakes  for  Cumberland  House,  another  of  the  Company's 
posts,  which  they  reached  on  he  22d  of  October. 

On  the  19tli  of  January,  Franklin  set  out  in  company 
with  Mr.  Back  and  a  seaman  named  Hepburn,  with  pro- 
visions for  fifteen  days,  stowed  in  two  sledges,  on  tneii 
journey  to  Fort  Chipewyan.  Dr.  Richardson,  Mr.  Hood 
and  Mr.  Con  oily  accompanied  them  a  short  distance. 
After  touching  at  different  posts  of  the  Company,  they 
reached  their  destination  safely  on  the  26th  of  March, 
after  a  winter's  journey  of  857  miles.  The  greatest  diffi- 
culty experienced  by  the  travelers  was  the  labor  of  walk- 
ing in  snow  shoes,  a  weight  of  between  two  and  three 
pounds  being  constantly  attached*  to  galled  feet  and 
swelled  ankles. 
On  the  13th  of  July,  they  were  joined  by  Dr.  Richaixi- 


FRATTKIJN^  FIBST  LAND  EXPEDITION. 


9t 


ffi. 
Ik- 


I'd- 


Bon  and  Mr.  Hood,  who  had  made  a  very  expeditious 
journey  from  Cumljerland  House ;  they  had  only  one 
day's  provisions  left,  the  pemmican  they  had  received  at 
tlio  pot.cJ  being  so  mouldy  that  they  were  obliged  to  leave 
it  behind.  Arrangements  were  now  made  for  tbe^r  jour- 
ney northward.  Sixteen  Canadian  voyageurs  wev^  en- 
gaged, and  a  Chipewyan  woman  and  two  interpreters 
were  to  be  taken  on  from  Great  Slave  Lake.  The  whole 
stock  of  provisions  they  could  obtain  before  starting  was 
only  sufhcient  for  one  day's  supply,  exclusive  of  two  bar- 
rels of  flour,  three  cases  of  preserved  meats,  some  choco- 
late, arrow-root  and  portable  soup,  which  had  been 
brought  from  England,  and  were  kept  as  a  reserve  for  the 
journey  to  the  coast  in  the  following  season;  seventy 
pounds  of  deer's  flesh  and  a  little  barley  were  all  that 
the  Company's  officers  could  give  them.  The  provisions 
were  distributed  among  three  canoes,  and  the  party  set 
oft'  in  good  spirits  on  the  18th  of  July.  They  had  to 
make  an  inroad  very  soon  on  their  preserved  meats,  for 
they  were  very  unfortunate  in  their  fishing.  On  the 
24th  of  July,  however,  they  were  succebsful  m  shooting 
a  buffalo  in  the  Salt  River,  aft;er  giving  him  fourteen 
balls.  At  Moose  Deer  Island  they  got  supj^lies  from 
the  Hudson's  Bay  and  North  West  Companies'  oflicers, 
and  on  the  27th  set  out  again  on  their  journey,  reaching 
Fort  Providence  by  the  29th. 

Shortly  after  they  had  an  interview  with  a  celebrated 
and  influential  Indian  chief,  named  Akaitcho,  who  was 
to  furnish  them  with  guides.  Another  Canadian  voya- 
«>:eur  was  there  engaged,  and  the  party  now  consisted  of 
the  officers  already  named,  Mr.  Fred.  Wentzel,  clerk  of 
the  N.  W.  Fur  Company,  who  joined  them  here,  John 
Hepburn,  the  English  seaman,  seventeen  Canadian  voy- 
ageurs, (one  of  whom,  named  Michel,  was  an  Iroquois,) 
and  three  Indian  intei-preters,  besides  the  wives  oi  three 
of  the  voyageurs  who  had  been  brought  on  for  the  pur- 
pose of  making  clothes  and  shoes  for  the  men  at  the 
winter  establisnment.  The  whole  number  were  twenty- 
nine,  exclusive  of  three  children.  I  give  the  list  of  those 
whose  names  occur  most  frequently  in  the  narrative: 


64 


PE0GRE8S  OF  AKOTIO  DISCOVEMT. 


J  .i4 


J.  B.  Belanger,  Peltier,  Solomon  Belanger,  Samandre, 
Benoit,  Perrault,  Antonio  Fontano,  Beauparlant,  Vail- 
laut,  Credit,  Adam  St.  Germain,  interpreter;  Augustus 
and  Junius,  Esquimaux  interpreters.  They  bad  provis- 
ions for  ten  days'  consumption,  besides  a  little  chocolate 
and  tea,  viz  :  two  casks  of  flour,  200  dried  reindeer 
tongues,  some  dried  moose  meat,  portable  soup,  and  a 
little  arrow-root.  A  small  extra  canoe  was  provided  for 
the  women,  and  the  journey  for  the  Coppermine  River 
was  commenced  on  the  2d  of  August.  The  party  met 
with  manv  hardships — were  placed  on  short  diet — and 
some  of  the  Canadians  broke  out  into  open  rebellion, 
refusing  to  proceed  farther.  However,  they  were  at  last 
calmed,  and  arrived  on  the  20th  of  August  at  Fort  En- 
terprise, on  Winter  Lake,  which,  by  the  advice  of  their 
Indian  guides,  they  determined  on  making  their  winter 
quarters.  The  total  length  of  the  voyage  from  Chipe- 
wyan  was  552  miles;  and  after  leaving  Fort  Providence, 
they  had  21  miles  of  portage  to  pass  over.  As  the  men 
had  to  traverse  each  portage  with  a  load  of  180  lbs., 
and  return  three  times  light,  they  walked,  in  the  whole, 
upward  of  150  miles^ 

In  consequence  of  the  refusal  of  Akaitcho  and  his 
pai'ty  of  Indians  to  guide  and  accompany  them  to  the 
sea,  because,  as  they  alledged,  of  the  approach  of  win- 
ter, and  the  imminent  danger.  Captain  Franklin  was 
obliged  to  CtLandon  proceeding  that  season  down  the 
river,  and  contented  himself  with  dispatching,  on  the 
29th,  Mr.  Back  and  Mr.  Hood,  in  a  light  canoe,  with 
St.  Germain  as  interpreter,  eight  Canadians,  and  one 
Indian,  furnished  with  eight  days' provisions — all  that 
could  be  spared. 

They  returned  on  the  10th  of  September,  after  hav 
ing  reached  and  coasted  Point  Lake.  In  the  mean  time^ 
Franklin  and  Richardson,  accompanied  by  J.  Hepburn 
and  two  Indians,  also  made  a  peoestrian  excursion  tow- 
ard the  same  quarter,  leaving  on  the  9th  of  September, 
and  retui'ning  on  the  fourteenth.  The  whole  party 
spent  a  long  winter  of  ten  months  at  Fort  Enterprise, 
depending  upon  the  fish  they  could  catch,  and  the  sno 
cess  of  their  Indiai.  hunters,  for  food. 


franklin's    FIliST   LAND    EXPEDITION. 


$9 


Ms 
the 
in- 
"was 
the 
the 
Iwith 
one 
that 


On  the  6th  of  October,  the  officers  quitted  their  tents 
for  a  good  log  house  which  had  been  Duilt.  TUe  clay 
with  which  the  walls  and  roof  were  plastered,  had  to 
be  tempered  before  the  fire  with  water,  and  froze  as  it 
was  daubed  on  ;  but  afterward  cracked  in  such  a  man- 
ner, as  to  admit  the  wind  from  every  quarter.  Still 
the  new  abode,  with  a  good  fire  of  fagots  in  the  capa- 
cious clay-built  chimney,  was  considered  quite  comfort- 
able when  compared  with  the  chilly  tents. 

The  reindeer  are  found  on  the  banks  of  the  Copper- 
mine River  early  in  May,  as  they  then  go  to  the  sea- 
coast  to  bring  forth  their  young.  They  usually  retire 
from  the  coast  in  July  and  August,  rut  m  Octouer,  and 
shelter  themselves  in  the  woods  during  winter.  Before 
the  middle  of  October,  the  carcasses  of  one  hundred 
deer  had  been  secured  in  their  store-house,  together  with 
one  thousand  pounds  of  suet,  and  some  dried  meat ; 
and  eighty  deer  were  stowed  away  at  various  distances 
from  their  house,  en  cache.  This  placing  provisions 
"en  cache,"  is  merely  burying  and  protecting  it  from 
wolves  and  other  depredators,  by  heavy  loads  of  wood 
or  stone. 

On  the  18th  of  October,  Mr.  Back  and  Mr.  Wentzel, 
accompanied  by  two  Canadian  voyageurs,  two  Indians 
and  their  wives,  set  out  for  Fort  rrovidence  to  make 
*he  necessary  arrangements  for  transporting  the  stores 
they  expected  from  Cumberland  House,  and  to  see  if 
some  further  supplies  might  not  be  obtained  from  the 
establishments  on  Slave  Lake.  Dispatches  for  Eng- 
land were  also  forwarded  by  them,  detailing  the  pro- 
gress of  the  expedition  up  to  this  date.  By  the  ena  of 
the  month  the  men  had  also  completed  a  house  for 
themselves,  34  feet  by  18.  On  the  26th  of  October, 
Akaitcho,  and  his  Inaian  party  of  hunters,  amounting 
with  women  and  children  to  forty  souls,  came  in,  owing 
to  the  deer  having  migrated  southward.  This  added 
to  the  daily  number  to  be  provided  for,  and  by  this  time 
their  ammunition  was  nearly  expended. 

The  fishing  failed  as  the  weather  became  more  severe, 
und  was  given  up  on  the  5th  of  November.    About 


w&MiHlMlHUHMaMMaM 


66 


PU00UKS8   OF   ARuTIO   DISCOVKBT. 


> 


i 


np 


ii 


.1 


.■I 


..|4  ,,,.,,;! 


ini!:i|iJ 


1200  white  fish,  of  from  two  to  three  pounds,  had  been 
procured  during  the  season.  The  tish  froze  as  they 
were  taken  from  the  nets,  becoming  in  a  short  time  a 
solid  mass  of  ice,  so  that  a  blow  or  two  of  the  hatchet 
would  easily  split  them  open,  when  tlie  intestines  migl»t 
be  removed  in  one  lump.  If  thawed  before  the  hre, 
even  after  beinff  frozen  for  nearly  two  days,  the  fish 
would  recover  their  animation. 

On  the  23d  of  November,  tliey  were  gratified  by  the 
appearance  of  one  of  the  Canadian  voyageurs  who  had 
set  out  witli  Mr.  Back.  His  locks  were  matted  wuth 
snow,  and  he  was  so  encrusted  with  ice  from  head  to 
foot,  that  they  could  scarcely  recognize  hira.  He  re- 
ported that  they  had  had  a  tedious  and  fatiguing  jour- 
ney to  Fort  Providence,  and  for  some  days  were  desti- 
tute of  provisions.  Letters  were  brought  from  England 
to  the  preceding  April,  and  quickly  was  the  packet 
thawed  to  get  at  the  contents.  The  newspapers  con- 
veyed the  intelligence  of  the  death  of  George  111.  Tlie 
advices  as  to  the  expected  stores  were  disneartening ; 
of  ten  bales  of  ninety  pounds  each,  five  had  been  l^i't 
by  some  mismanagement  at  the  Grand  Rap'd  on  tlw 
Sattkatchawan.  On  the  28th  of  November,  St.  Ger- 
main the  interpreter,  with  eight  Canadian  voyageurs, 
and  four  Indian  hunters,  were  sent  otf  to  bring  up  the 
stores  fi'om  Fort  Providence. 

On  the  10th  of  December,  Franklin  managed  to  get 
rid  of  Akaitcho  and  his  Indian  party,  by  representing 
to  them  the  impossibility  of  maintaining  them.  The 
leader,  however,  left  them  his  mother  and  two  female 
attendants;  and  old  Kaskarrah,  the  guide,  with  his  wife 
and  daughter,  remained  behind.  This  daughter,  who 
was  designated  "  Green  Stockings,"  fiom  her  dress,  was 
considered  a  great  beauty  by  her  tribe,  and  although 
but  sixteen,  had  belonged  successively  to  two  husbands, 
and  would  probably  have  been  the  wife  of  many  more, 
if  her  mother  had  not  required  her  services  as  a  nurse. 

Mr.  Hood  took  a  good  likeness  of  the  young  laoy, 
but  hor  mother  was  somewhat  averse  to  her  sitting  for 
it,  fearing  that  "  her  daughter''s  likeness  would  indnc» 


FRANKLIN  S  FIIDST  LAND  KXl'KDITION. 


6T 


get 

ing 

The 

male 

wife 

who 

was 
ough 
■iiids, 
nore, 
urse. 
laay, 
g  for 

due© 


tho  Great  Chief  who  resided  in  England  to  sead  for  tho 
original  1 " 

The  diet  of  the  party  in  their  winter  abode  consisted 
almost  entirely  of  reindeer  meat,  varied  twice  a  weeks 
by  lish,  and  occasionally  by  a  little  flour,  but  they  had 
no  vegetables  of  any  kind.  On  Sunday  morning  they 
had  a  cup  of  chocolate  ;  but  their  greatest  luxury  was 
tea,  which  they  regularly  had  twice  a  day,  although 
without  sugar.  Candles  were  formed  of  reindeer  rat 
and  strips  of  cotton  shirts;  and  Hepburn  acquired  con- 
siderable skill  in  the  manufacture  ot  soup  from  the  wooil 
ashes,  fat  and  salt.  The  stores  were  anxiously  looked 
for,  and  it  was  hoped  they  would  have  arrived  by  New 
Year's  Day,  (1821,)  so  as  to  have  kept  the  festival.  As 
it  was,  they  could  only  receive  a  little  flour  and  fat,  both 
of  which  were  considered  great  luxuries. 

On  the  15th,  seven  of  the  men  arrived  with  two  kegs 
of  rum,  one  barrel  of  powder,  sixty  pounds  of  ball,  two 
rolls  of  tobacco,  and  some  clothing. 

"  They  had  been  twenty-one  days  on  their  march  from 
Slave  Lake,  and  the  labor  they  underwent  was  eufli* 
eiently  evinced  by  their  sledge  collars  having  worn  out 
the  shoulders  of  their  coats.  Their  loads  weighed  from 
sixty  to  ninety  pounds  each,  exclusive  of  their  bedding 
and  provisions,  which  at  starting  must  have  been  at  least 
as  much  more.  We  were  much  rejoiced  at  their  arrival, 
and  proceeded  forthwith  to  pierce  the  spirit  cask,  and 
issue  to  each  of  the  household  the  portion  of  mm  which 
liad  been  promised  on  the  first  day  of  the  year.  The 
spirits,  which  were  proof,  were  frozen;  but  after  stand- 
ing at  the  fire  for  some  time  they  flowed  out,  of  the 
consistence  of  honey.  The  temperature  of  the  liquid, 
even  in  this  state,  was  so  low  as  instantly  to  convert 
into  ice  the  moisture  a\  hich  condensed  on  the  surface  of 
the  dram^lass.  The  fingers  also  adhered  to  the  glass, 
and  woulddoubtless  have  been  speedily  frozen  had  they 
been  kept  in  contact  with  it ;  yet  each  of  the  voyagenra 
swallowed  his  dram  without  experiencing  the  sli^test 
inconvenience,  or  complaining  of  toothacne." 

It  appeared  that  the  CaTiadians  had  tapped  the  ruia 

C*  . 


wf^mmlimmm 


68 


PROaUEBS   OF   ARCrnO    DISGOVURT. 


;.j..l 


I'^iii!!! 


hm 


i   i 


Urn 


\rM 


111 

i'li'l  ■ 


cask  on  their  journey,  and  helped  themselves  rathef 
freely. 

On  the  27t£i,  Mr.  Wentzel  and  St.  Germain  arrived, 
with  two  Esquimaux  interpreters  who  had  been  engaged, 
possessed  ot  euphonious  names,  representing  the  belly 
and  the  ear,  but  which  had  been  Anglicised  into  Au- 
gustus and  Junius,  being  the  months  they  had  respec- 
tively arrived  at  Fort  Churchill.  The  former  spoke 
English.  They  brought  four  dogs  with  them,  which 
proved  of  great  use  during  the  season  in  drawing  in 
wood  for  fuel. 

Mr.  Back,  at  this  time,  the  24th  of  December,  had 
gone  on  to  Chipewyan  to  procure  stores.  On  the  12th 
of  February,  another  party  of  six  men  was  sent  to  Fort 
Providence  to  bring  up  the  remaining  supplies,  and 
these  returned  on  the  5th  of  March.  Many  of  the  each  <>a 
of  meat  which  had  been  buried  early  in  tne  winter  were 
found  destroyed  by  the  wolves  ;  and  some  of  these  aiii 
mals  prowled  nightly  about  the  dwellings,  even  ventur 
ing  upon  the  roof  of  their  kitchen.  The  rations  were 
reduced  from  eight  to  the  short  allowance  of  five  ounces 
of  animal  food  per  day. 

On  the  17th  of  March,  Mr.  E«»ck  returned  from  Fort 
Chipewyan,  after  an  absence  of  nearly  five  moutlis, 
dunng  which  he  had  performed  a  journey  on  foot  of 
more  than  eleven  hundred  miles  on  snow  shoes,  with 
only  the  slight  shelter  at  night  of  a  blanket  and  a  deer 
skin,  with  the  thermometer  frequently  at  40°  and  once 
at  57°,  and  very  often  passing  several  days  without 
food. 

Some  very  interesting  traits  of  generosity  on  the  part 
of  the  Indians  are  recorded  by  ]y&.  Back.  Often  they 
gave  up  and  would  not  taste  of  fish  or  birds  which  they 
caught,  with  the  touching  remark,  "  We  are  accustomed 
to  starvation,  and  you  are  not." 

Such  passages  as  the  tbllowing  often  occur  in  his 
narrative  : — ^"  One  of  our  men  caught  a  fish,  which,  with 
file  J  distance  of  some  weed  scraped  from  the  rocks, 
(t^ip'*>  de  roche)  which  forms  a  glutinous  substance,  made 
us  a  f  olerable  supper ;  it  wai  not  of  the  most  choice  kind, 


VBANELIN  8  FIBST  IJkND  EIPEDITION. 


69 


vet  ffood  enough  for  hungry  men.  While  wo  were  eat- 
ing it,  I  perceived  one  ot  the  \'^omer.  busily  employed 
I  craping  an  old  skin,  tlie  contents  of  which  her  husband 
p.'esented  us  with.  Thev  consisted  of  pounded  meat, 
lat,  and  a  greator  proportion  of  In^l  fan's  and  deer's  hair 
than  either ;  and,  though  such  a  mixture  may  not  appear 
very  alluring  to  an  iSiglish  stomach,  it  was  thought  a 
great  luxury  atler  three  days'  privation  in  these  cheer- 
less regions  of  America." 

To  return  to  the  proceedings  of  Fort  Enterprise.  On 
tlie  23d  of  March,  tne  last  of  the  winter's  stock  of  deer's 
meat  was  expended,  and  the  party  were  compelled  to 
consume  a  little  pounded  meat,  which  had  been  saved 
for  making  pemmican.  The  nets  scarcely  produced  any 
fish,  and  their  meals,  which  had  hitherto  been  scanty 
enough,  were  now  restricted  to  one  in  the  day. 

The  poor  Indian  families  about  the  house,  consisting 
principally  of  sick  and  infirm  women  and  children,  su? 
r  red  even  more  privation.  They  cleared  away  the 
flr  w  on  the  site  of  the  Autumn  encampment  to  look  tor 
bones,  deer's  feet,  bits  of  hide,  and  other  oflal  "  When 
(savs  Franklin)  we  beheld  them  gnawing  the  pieces  of 
iiicfe,  and  pounding  the  bones  for  the  purpose  ot  extract- 
ing some  nourishment  from  them  by  boiling,  we  regret- 
ted our  inability  to  relieve  them,  but  little  tnought  that 
we  should  ourselves  be  afterward  driven  to  the  neces- 
sity of  eagerly  collecting  these  same  bones,  a  second 
time  from  tlie  dung-hill.'' 

On  the  4th  of  June,  1821,  a  first  party  set  off  from 
the  winter  quarters  for  Point  Lake,  and  the  Coppermine 
River,  under  the  charge  of  Dr.  Richardson,  consisting, 
in  all,  voyageurs  and  Indians,  of  twenty-three,  exclusive 
of  children.  Each  of  the  men  carried  about  80  lbs.,  be- 
sides his  own  personal  baggage,  weighing  nearly  as 
much  more.  Some  of  the  paitv  dragged  their  loads  on 
sledges,  others  preferred  carrying  their  burden  on  their 
backs.  On  the  13th,  Dr.  Richardson  sent  back  most  of 
the  men ;  and  on  the  14th  Franklin  dispatched  Mr. 


Wontzel  and  a  party  with  the  ci.noes,  which  had  been 
repaired.    Following  the  water-course  as  far  as  j  mcti 


irn'-iriiiiiriiiiii 


70 


PKOORUS8  OF  Aitcrrn  discovert. 


cable  to  Winter  Lake,  Franklin  .'»llov.'eJ  hunhQit  «ritii 
Hepburn,  tl»ree  Canadians,  two  Indian  hunters,  and 
the  two  Esquimaux,  and  joined  Dr.  Kiehardsun  on  tl.e 
a2d.  On  tUGf  25th  they  all  roBunied  their  journey,  and, 
as  they  proceeded  down  the  river,  were  fortunate  in 
killing,  occasionally,  several  musk  oxen. 

On  the  16th  they  got  a  distinct  view  of  tlie  sea  from 
the  summit  of  a  liill ;  it  appeared  clioked  with  ice  and 
full  of  islands.  About  this  tiine  they  fell  in  with  small 
parties  of  Esquimaux. 

On  the  19th  Mr.  Weutzel  departed  on  his  retuin  foi 
Slave  Lake,  taking  with  him  tour  Canadians,  who  had 
been  discharged  for  the  purpose  of  reducing  the  ex})cn- 
diture  of  provisions  as  much  as  possible,  ana  dispatches 
to  be  forwarded  to  England,  lie  wat^  also  instructed 
to  cause  the  Indians  to  deposit  a  relay  of  provisions  at 
Fort  Enterprise,  ready  for  the  party  slioulu  they  return 
that  way.  The  remainder  of  the  party,  inclucfing  otli- 
cers,  amounted  to  twenty  persons.  The  distance  that 
had  been  traversed  from  1  ort  Enterprise  to  the  mouth 
of  the  river/was  about  334  miles,  and  the  canoes  had  to 
be  dragged  120  miles  of  this. 

Two  conspicuous  capes  were  named  by  Franklin  after 
llearne  rnd  Mackenzie  ;  and  a  river  which  falls  into  the 
gea,  to  thf  vestward  of  the  Coppermine,  he  called  after 
his  Companion,  Richardson. 

On  the  21st  of  July,  Franklin  and  his  party  embarked 
in  their  two  cane 38  to  navigate  the  Polar  Sea,  to  the 
eastward,  having  with  them  provisions  for  fifteen  days. 

On  the  25th  they  doubled  a  bluff  cape,  which  was 
named  after  Mr.  Barrow,  of  the  Admiralty.  An  open- 
ing on  its  eastern  side  received  the  appellation  of  Inman 
Harbor,  and  a  group  of  islands  were  called  after  Pro- 
fessor Jameson.  Within  the  nest  fortnight,  additions 
were  made  to  their  stock  of  food  bv  a  few  deer  and  one 
or  two  bears,  which  were  shot.  iBeing  less  fortunate 
afterward,  and  with  no  prospect  of  increasing  their  sup- 
ply of  provision,  the  daily  allowance  to  each  man  wap 
limited  to  a  handful  of  pemmican  and  a  small  portion 
of  portable  soup. 


FUANKLI>:'ti   FlitST   f.^ND  JCXJ'JjaJlTION. 


7Ji 


tlie 


On  the  morning  of  the  5th  of  August  they  came  to 
thti  moutli  of  a  river  blocked  up  with  ehoals,  which 
Franklin  named  after  his  friend  and  companion  Back. 

The  time  Hpeut  in  exploring  Arctic  and  Melville 
Soiin«lfi  and  liathuret  Inlet,  ana  the  failure  of  meeting 
with  Esquimaux  from  whom  provisions  could  bo  ob- 
tained, precluded  any  possibility  of  reaching  liepulso 
Bay,  a.'id  therefore  having  but  a  day  or  two's  provisions 
left,  Franklin  considered  it  prudent  to  turn  back  atU»r 
reacliing  Point  Turnagain,  naving  sailed  nearly  600 
gc'0gra})hical  miles  in  tracing  the  deeply  indented  coast 
of  Coronation  Gulf  from  the  Coppermine  River.  On 
tlie  22d  August,  the  return  voyage  was  commenced, 
the  boats  making  for  Hood's  Kiver  by  the  way  of  the 
Arctic  Sound,  and  being  taken  as  far  up  the  stream  as 
possible.  On  the  31st  it  was  found  impossible  to  pro- 
ceed with  them  farther,  and  smaller  canoes  were  made, 
suitable  for  crossing  any  of  the  rivera  that  might  ol> 
Rtruct  their  progress.  The  weig'  t  carried  by  each  man 
was  about  90  lbs.,  and  with  this  they  progressed  at  the 
rate  of  a  mile  an  hour,  including  rests. 

On  the  6th  of  September,  having  nothing  to  eat,  the 
last  piece  of  pemmican  and  a  little  arrow-root  having 
formed  a  scanty  supper,  and  bein,^  without  the  means 
of  making  a  fire,  they  remained  in  bed  all  day.  A  se- 
vere snow-storm  lasted  two  days,  and  the  snow  even 
drifted  into  their  tents,  covering  their  blankets  several 
inches.  "  Our  suffering  (says  Franklin)  from  cold,  in  a 
comfortless  canvass  tent  in  such  weather,  with  the  tem- 
perature at  20°,  and  rt^ithont  fire,  will  easily  be  im- 
agined ;  it  was,  however,  less  than  that  which  we  felt 
froiri  hunger. ' 

Weak  from  fasting,  and  their  garments  stiffened  with 
the  frost,  after  packing  their  frozen  tents  and  bedclothes 
the  poor  travelers  again  set  out  on  the  7th. 

After  feeding  almost  exclusively  on  several  species 
of  Gy rophora,  a  lichen  known  as  trtjfe  de  roche^  which 
ticiircely  allayed  the  panj^s  of  hunger,  on  the  10th  "  they 
gc»t  a  good  meal  by  killing  a  musk  ox.  To  skin  and 
cut  u})  the  arn'maJ  vas  the  work  of  a  few  minutes.    The 


73 


'I'KOORl'V?   OF    AKOTIO    D1800VKKT. 


in 


contents  of  its  Htomjicli  were  devourod  upon  tlie  apot^ 
juhI  tho  raw  iiitoHtinos,  which  were  next  iitttickcd,  wt'ie 
pronounced  by  tlio  uiOBt  delicato  amongnt  us  to  l)c  ox- 
ccllont." 

Wearied  and  worn  ont  with  toil  and  suffering,  ni.my 
of  the  party  got  carelees  and  inditKeront.  Ono  of  rlu! 
canoes  was  broken  and  abandoned.  With  an  inipiovi- 
dence  scarcely  to  be  credited,  tiiree  of  the  lisiiing-uots 
were  also  thrown  away,  and  the  floats  buint. 

•On  the  17th  they  nuinaged  to  allay  the  mngs  of  hun 
ger  by  eating  jiieces  of  singed  hide,  and  a  little  tripe  de 
roche.  Tliis  and  some  mosses,  with  an  occasiooal  sol- 
itary partridge,  formed  their  invariable  food  ;  on  wry 
many  days  even  this  scanty  supply  could  not  be  uotjiinrd. 
and  their  appetites  became  ravenous. 

Occasionally  they  picked  up  pieces  of  skin,  and  a 
few  bones  of  deer  which  had  been  devoured  by  the 
wolves  in  the  previous  spring.  The  bones  were  i-en- 
dcrcd  friable  by  burning,  and  now  and  then  their  old 
shoes  were  added  to  the  repast. 

On  the  26th  they  readied  a  bend  of  the  Coppermine 
which  terminated  in  Point  Lake.    The  second  cjujot' 
had  been  demolished  and  abandoned  by  the  bearers  on 
the  23d,  and  they  were  thus  left  without  any  means  of 
water  transport  across  the  lakes  and  river. 

On  this  (fay  the  carcass  of  a  deer  was  discovered  in 
the  cleft  of  a  rock,  into  which  it  had  fallen  in  the  s])riii^r 
It  was  putrid,  but  little  less  acceptable  to  the  poor  stni-v- 
ing  travelers  on  that  account;  and  a  fire  being  kin- 
dled a  large  portion  was  devoured  on  tho  spot,  aiVord- 
ing  an  unexpected  lireakfast. 

On  th(5  first  of  Oetol>er  one  of  the  party,  w^ho  had 
been  out  IiuntiTig,  brought  in  tlie  antlers  and  backbone 
of  another  deer,  which  liad  been  killed  in  the  summer. 
The  wolves  and  birds  of  prey  had  picked  them  clean, 
bnt  there  still  remained  a  quantity  of  the  spinal  mar- 
row, which  they  had  not  been  able  to  extract.  This, 
although  putrid,  was  esteemed  a  valuable  prize,  and 
the  spme  oeing  divided  into  portions  was  distributee! 
equally.     "Anei  eating  the"  marrow,  (says  Franklin,) 


FRAKKLIM  S   FIRST   LAND    lCXrKI)IT[ON. 


78 


which  was  so  acrid  a8  to  ©xcoriato  the  lips,  we  ren- 
dered the  bones  friable  by  burning,  and  ate  them  also." 

The  Btrenffth  of  the  wliolo  party  now  began  to  fail. 
from  the  privation  and  fatigue  wlncli  they  endured. — 
Franklin  was  in  a  dreadfully  debilitated  state.  Mr. 
Hood  was  also  reduced  to  a  peifeet  shadow,  from  the 
severe  bowel-eonij^aints  which  the  tripe  de  roche  never 
failed  to  give  Iiim.  Back  was  so  feeble  as  to  require 
the  support  of  a  stick  in  walking,  and  Dr.  Kichardson 
luid  lameness  superadded  to  weakness. 

A  rude  canoe  was  ctmstructed  of  willows,  covered 
with  canvass,  in  which  the  party,  one  by  one,  managed 
to  reach  in  safety  the  soutliern  bank  of  the  river  on 
the  4th  of  October,  and  went  supperless  to  bed.  On 
the  following  morning,  previous  to  setting  out,  the 
whole  party  ate  the  remains  of  their  old  shoes,  and 
whatever  scraps  of  leather  they  had,  to  strengthen  their 
stomachs  for  the  fatigue  of  the  day's  journey. 

Mr.  Hood  now  broke  down,  as  did  two  or  three  more 
of  the  party,  and  Dr.  Kichardson  kindly  volunteered 
to  remain  with  them,  while  the  rest  pushed  on  to  Fort 
Enterprise  for  succor.  Not  being  able  to  find  any  tripe 
fh  roclu'^  they  drank  an  infusion  of  the  Labrador  tea- 
plant  {Lcdrum  paluat/re^  var.  decumhens^imd.  ate  a 
lew  morsels  of  burnt  leather  for  supper.  This  contin- 
ued to  be  a  frequent  occurrence. 

Others  of  the  party  continued  to  drop  down  with  fa- 
tigue and  weakness,  until  thejr  were  reduced  to  five 
persons,  besides  Franklin.  "Wiien  they  had  no  food  or 
nourishment  of  any  kind,  they  ^rept  under  their  blank- 
ets, to  drown,  if  possible,  the  gtiawing  pangs  of  hunger 
and  fatigue  by  sleep.  At  length  they  reached  Fort  En- 
terprise, and  to  their  disappoLitment  and  grief  found 
it  a  perfectly  desolate  habitation.  There  was  no  de- 
posit of  provision,  no  trace  df  the  Indians,  no  letter 
from  Mr.  Wentzel  to  point  out  where  the  Indians  might 
bo  found.  "It  woula  be  impot-«ible  (says  Franklin,)  to 
describe  our  sensations  after  .entering  this  miserable 
abode,  and  discovering  how  we  had  been  neglected  r 
tlu;  whole  narty  shed  tears,  n  jt  so  much  for  our  owu 


••'••• 'f¥ifri""iii  ill  M 


74 


PROGRESS   OF   ARCTriO   DISCOVERT. 


»l 


Irr, 


fate  as  for  that  of  our  friends  in  the  rear,  whose  lives 
depended  entirely  on  our  sending  immediate  relief 
from  this  place."  A  note,  however,  was  found  here 
from  Mr.  Back,  stating  that  he  had  reached  the  house 
by  another  route  two  days  before,  and  was  going  in 
search  of  the  Indians.  If  he  Was  unsuccessful  in  find- 
ing them,  he  proposed  walking  to  Fort  Providence, 
and  sending  succor  from  thence,  but  he  doubted  whether 
he  or  his  party  could  perform  the  journey  to  that  place 
in  their  present  debilitated  state.  Franklin  and  his 
small  party  now  looked  round  for  some  means  of  pres- 
ent subsistence,  and  fortunately  discovered  several  deer 
skins,  which  had  been  thrown  away  during  their  former 
residence  here.  The  bones  were  gathered  from  the 
heap  of  ashes ;  these,  with  the  skins  and  the  addition 
of  tripe  de  roche^  tliey  considered  would  support  life 
tolerably  well  for  a  short  time.  The  bones  were  quite 
acrid,  and  the  soup  extracted  from  them,  quite  putrid, 
excoriated  the  mouth  if  taken  alone,  but  it  was  some- 
what milder  when  boiled  with  the  lichen,  and  the  mix- 
ture was  even  deemed  palatable  with  a  little  salt,  of 
which  a  cask  had  been  left  here  in  the  spring.  They 
procured  fuel  by  pulling  up  the  flooring  of  the  rooms, 
and  water  for  cooking  by  melting  the  snow. 

Augustus  arrived  safe  after  them,  just  as  they  were 
sitting  round  the  fire  eating  their  supper  of  singed 
skin. 

Late  on  the  13th,  Eelanger  also  reached  the  house, 
with  a  note  fi'om  Mr.  Back,  stating  that  he  had  yet 
found  no  trace  of  the  Indians.  The  poor  messenger 
was  almost  speechless,  being  covered  with  ice  and 
nearly  fi'ozen  to  death,  having  fallen  into  a  rapid,  and 
for  the  third  time  since  the  party  left  the  coast,  narrowly 
escaped  drowning.  After  being  well  rubbed,  having 
had  his  dress  changed,  and  some  wann  soup  given 
him,  he  recovered  sufficiently  to  answer  the  questions 
put  to  him. 

Under  the  impression  that  the  Indians  must  be  on 
kheir  way  to  Fort  Providence,  and  that  it  would  be 
possible  tf  overtake  them,  as  they  usually  traveled 


franklin's  first  land  expedition. 


M 


slowly  with  their  families,  and  there  beinff  likewise  a 
prospect  of  killing  deer  about  Reindeer  Lake,  where 
they  had  been  usually  found  abundant,  Franklin  de^ 
terrained  to  take  the  route  for  that  post,  and  sent  word 
to  Mr.  Back  by  Belanger  to  that  effect  on  the  18th. 

On  the  20th  of  October,  Franklin  set  out  in  com- 
pany with  Benoit  and  Augustus  to  seek  relief,  having 
patched  three  pairs  of  snow  shoes,  and  taken  some 
singed  skin  for  their  support.  Poltier  and  Samandre 
had  volunteered  to  remain  at  the  house  with  Adam, 
who  was  too  ill  to  proceed.  They  were  so  feeble  as 
scarcely  to  be  able  to  move.  Augustus,  the  Esqui- 
maux, tried  for  fish  without  success,  so  that  their  only 
fare  was  skin  and  tea.  At  night,  composing  them- 
selves to  rest,  they  lay  close  to  each  other  for  warmth, 
but  found  the  night  bitterly  cold,  and  the  wind  pierced 
throu^^h  their  furnished  frames. 

On  resuming  the  journey  next  morning,  Franklin 
had  the  misfortune  to  break  his  snow-shoes,  by  falling 
between  two  rocks.  This  accident  prevented  him  from 
keeping  pace  with  the  others,  and  in  the  attempt  he 
became  quite  exhausted ;  unwilling  to  delay  their  pro- 
gress, as  the  safety  of  all  behind  depended  on  their 
obtaining  early  assistance  and  immediate  supplies, 
Franklin  resolved  to  turn  back,  while  the  others 
pushed  on  to  meet  Mr.  Back,  or,  missing  him,  they 
were  directed  to  proceed  to  Fort  Providence.  Frank- 
lin found  the  two  Canadians  he  had  left  at  the  house 
dreadfully  weak  and  reduced,  and  so  low  spirited  that 
he  had  great  difficulty  in  rallying  them  to  any  exer- 
tion. As  the  insides  of  their  mouths  had  become  sore 
from  eating  the  bone-soup,  they  now  relinquished  the 
use  of  it,  and  boiled  the  skin,  which  mode  of  dressing 
wasfcnnd  more  palatable  than  frying  it.  They  haa 
pulled  down  nearly  all  their  dwelling  for  fuel,  to  warm 
meraselves  and  cook  their  scanty  meals.  The  tripe 
de  roche,  on  which  they  had  depended,  now  became 
entirely  frozen;  and  what  was  more  tantalizing  to 
their  perishing  frames,  was  the  sight  of  food  within 
their  reach,  which  they  could  not  procure.     "  We  saw 


■MMiiiiB~ 


76 


PBOOBES8  OF  ABOTIO  DISOOTEKT. 


Ml  'illi 


t;    *■ 


(says  Franklin)  a  herd  of  reindeer  sporting  on  the 
river,  about  half  a  mile  frona  the  house ;  they  re* 
mained  there  a  long  time,  but  none  of  the  party  felt 
themselves  strong  enough  to  go  after  them,  nor  was 
there  one  of  us  who  could  have  fired  a  gun  without 
resting  it." 

While  they  were  seated  round  the  fire  this  evening, 
iiscoursing  about  the  anticipated  relief,  the  sound  of 
voices  was  heard,  which  was  thought  with  joy  to  be 
ihat  of  the  Indians,  but,  to  their  bitter  disappoint- 
ment, the  debilitated  frames  and  emaciated  counte- 
nances of  Dr.  Kichardson  and  Hepburn  presented 
themselves  at  the  door.  They  were  of  course  gladly 
received,  although  each  marked  the  ravages  which  fam- 
ine, care  and  fatigue  had  made  on  the  other.  The 
Doctor  particularly  remarked  the  sepulchral  tone  of 
the  voices  of  his  friends,  which  he  requested  them  to 
make  more  cheerful  if  possible,  unconscious  that  his 
own  partook  of  the  same  key. 

'  Hepburn  having  shot  a  partridge,  which  was  brought 
to  the  house.  Dr.  Richardson  tore  out  the  feathei's, 
and  having  held  it  to  the  fire  a  few  minutes,  divided 
it  into  six  portions.  Franklin  and  his  three  compan- 
ions ravenously  devoured  their  shares,  as  it  was  the 
first  morsel  of  fiesh  any  of  them  had  tasted  for  thirty- 
one  days,  unless,  indeed,  the  small  gristly  particles 
which  they  found  adhering  to  the  pounded  bones  may 
be  termed  flesh.  Their  spirits  were  revived  by  this 
small  supply,  and  the  Doctor  endeavored  to  raise 
them  still  higher  by  the  prospect  of  Hepburn's  beiuw 
able  to  kill  a  deer  next  day,  as  they  had  seen,  and 
even  fired  at,  several  near  the  house.  He  endeavored, 
too,  to  rouse  them  into  some  attention  to  the  comfort 
of  their  apartment.  Having  brought  his  Prayer-book 
and  Testament,  some  prayers,  psalms,  and  portions 
of  scripture,  appropriate  to  their  situation,  were  read 
out  by  Dr.  Richardson,  and  they  retired  to  their 
blankets. 

Early  next  morning,  the  Doctor  and  Hepburn  went 
out  in  search  of  game ;  but  though  they  saw  several 


FRANKLIN  3   FIRST   LAND   EXPEDITION. 


77 


herds  of  deer,  and  fired  some  shots,  they  were  not  bo 
fortunate  as  to  kill  any,  being  too  weak  *^o  hold  their 
guns  steadily.  The  cold  compelled  the  former  to  re- 
turn soon,  but  Hepburn  perseveringly  persisted  until 
late  in  the  evening. 

"  My  occupation,  (continues  Franklin)  was  to  search 
for  skins  under  the  snow,  it  being  now  our  object  im- 
mediately to  get  all  that  we  could ;  but  1  had  not 
strength  to  drag  in  more  than  two  of  those  which  were 
within  twenty  yards  of  the  house,  until  the  Doctor 
came  and  assisted  me.  We  made  up  our  stock  to 
twenty-six;  but  several  of  them  were  putrid,  and 
scarcely  eatable,  even  by  men  suffering  the  extremity 
of  famine.  Peltier  and  Samandre  continued  very 
weak  and  dispirited,  and  they  were  unable  to  cut  fire- 
wood. Hepburn  had,  in  consequence,  that  laborious 
task  to  perform  after  he  came  back  late  from  hunting." 
To  the  exertions,  honesty,  kindness,  and  consideration 
of  this  worthy  man,  the  safety  of  most  of  the  party  is 
to  be  attributed.  And  I  may  here  mention  that  Sir 
John  Franklin,  when  he  became  governor  of  Van 
Diemen's  Land,  obtained  for  him  a  good  civil  appoint- 
ment. This  deserving  man,  I  am  informed  by  Mr. 
Barrow,  is  now  in  England,  having  lost  his  office, 
which,  I  believe,  has  been  abolished.  It  is  to  be 
hoped  something  will  be  done  for  him  by  the  govern- 
ment. 

After  their  usual  supper  of  singed  skin  and  bone 
Boup,  Dr.  Richardson  acquainted  Franklin  with  the 
events  that  had  transpired  since  their  parting,  particu- 
larly with  the  afflicting  circumstances  attending  the 
death  of  Mr.  Hood,  and  Michel,  the  Iroquois  ;  the  par- 
ticulars of  which  I  shall  now  proceed  to  condense  from 
his  narrative. 

After  Captain  Franklin  had  bidden  them  farewell, 
having  no  trim  de  roc  he  they  drank  an  inftision  of  the 
country  tea-plant,  which  was  gr«ateful  from  its  warmtli, 
although  it  afforded  no  sustenance.  They  then  retired  , 
to  bed,  and  kept  to  their  blankets  all  next  day,  as  tht» 
enow  drift  was  so  heavy  as  to  prevent  their  lighting  u 


tfiitHMiHii 


78 


PROGRESS   OF  ARCHO   DISOOVERT. 


fire  with  the  green  and  frozen  willows,  which  wert 
their  only  fuel. 

Through  the  extreme  kindness  and  forethought  of 
a  lady,  the  party,  previous  to  leaving  London,  had 
been  furnished  with  a  small  collection  of  religious 
books,  of  which,  (says  Richardson,)  we  still  retained 
two  or  three  of  the  most  portable,  and  they  proved  of 
incalculable  benefit  to  us. 

"  We  read  portions  of  them  to  each  other  as  we  lay 
iu  bed,  in  addition  to  the  morning  and  evening  service, 
and  found  that  they  inspired  us  on  each  perusal  with 
so  strong  a  sense  ot  the  omnipresence  of  a  beneficent 
God,  that  our  situation,  even  in  these  wilds,  appeared 
no  longer  destitute ;  and  we  conversed  not  only  with 
Cfilmuess,  but  with  cheerfulness,  detailing  with  unre- 
strained confidence  the  past  events  of  our  lives,  and 
dwelling  with  hope  on  our  future  prospects,"  How 
beautiful  a  picture  have  we  here  represented,  of  true 
piety  and  resignation  to  the  divine  will  inducing  pa- 
tience and  submission  under  an  unexampled  load  of 
misery  and  privation. 

Michel,  the  Iroquois,  joined  them  on  the  9th  of  Oc- 
tober, having,  there  is  strong  reason  to  believe,  mur- 
dered two  of  the  Canadians  who  were  with  him,  Jean 
Haptiste  Belanger  and  Perrault,  as  they  were  never 
seen  afterward,  and  he  gave  so  many  ramblinn^  and 
contradictory  statements  of  his  proceedings,  that  no 
credit  could  be  attached  to  his  story. 

The  travelers  proceeded  on  their  tedious  journey  by 
slow  stages.  Mr.  Hood  was  much  afi^ected  with  dim 
ness  of  sight,  giddiness,  and  other  symptoms  of  ex 
treme  debility',  which  caused  them  to  move  slowly  and 
to.  make  frequent  halts.  Michel  absented  himself  all 
day  of  the  10th,  and  only  arrived  at  their  encampment 
near  the  pines  late  on  the  11th. 

He  reported  that  he  had  been  in  chase  of  some  deer 
which  passed  near  his  sleeping  place  in  the  morning, 
and  although  he  did  not  come  up  with  them,  yet  he 
found  a  wolf  which  had  been  killed  by  the  stroke  of 
a  deer's  horn,  and  had  brought  a  part  of  it. 


franklin's  first  land  expedition. 


79 


Kicbardson  adds  —  "We  implicitly  believed  this 
<tory  tben,  but  afterward  became  aware  —  from  cir- 
cumstances, the  details  of  which  may  be  spared — that 
it  must  have  been  a  portion  of  the  body  of  fiel  anger, 
or  Perrault.  A  question  of  moment  here  presents  it- 
self—namely, whether  he  actually  murdered  these 
men,  or  either  of  them,  or  whether  he  found  the  bodies 
in  the  snow.    Captain  Franklin,  who  is  the  best  able  to 

i'udge  of  this  matter,  from  knowing  their  situation  when 
le  parted  from  them,  suggested  the  former  idea,  and 
that  both  these  men  had  been  sacrificed ;  that  Michel, 
having  already  destroyed  Belanger,  completed  bia 
crime  by  Perrault's  death,  in  order  to  screen  himself 
from  detection." 

Although  this  opinion  is  founded  only  on  circum- 
stances, and  is  unsupported  by  direct  evidence,  it  has 
been  judged  proper  to  mention  it,  especially  as  the 
subsequent  conduct  of  the  man  showed  that  he  was 
capable  of  committing  such  a  deed.  It  is  not  easy  to 
assign  any  other  adequate  motive  for  his  concealing 
from  Richardson  that  rerrault  had  turned  back ;  while 
his  request,  over-night,  that  they  would  leave  him  the 
hatchet,  and  his  cumbering  himself  .with  it  when  he 
went  out  in  the  morning,  unlike  a  hunter,  who  makes 
use  only  of  his  knife  when  he  kills  a  deer,  seem  to 
indicate  that  he  took  it  for  the  purpose  of  cutting  up 
something  that  he  knew  to  be  frozien. 

Michel  left  them  early  next  day,  refusing  Dr.  Rich- 
ardson's offer  to  accompany  him,  and  remamed  out  all 
day.  He  would  not  sleep  in  the  tent  with  the  other 
two  at  night.  On  the  13th,  there  being  a  heavy  gale, 
they  passed  the  day  by  their  fire,  without  food.  Next 
day,  at  noon,  Michel  set  out,  as  he  said,  to  hunt,  but 
returned  unexpectedly  in  a  short  time.  This  conduct 
surprised  his  companions,  and  his  contradictory  and 
evasive  answers  to  their  questions  excited  their  sus- 
picions still  further.  He  subsequently  refused  either 
to  hunt  or  cut  wood,  spoke  in  a  very  surly  manner, 
and  threatened  to  leave  them.  When  reasoned  wifck 
by  Mr.  Hood,  his  anger  was  excited,  and  he  replied  it 


80 


PKOORKSS   OF   AKOTIO   HISOOVKRT. 


it 


i 


was  no  use  hunting — there  were  no  animals,  and  the;f 
had  better  kill  and  eat  him. 

"At  this  period,"  observes  Dr.  Richardson,  "we 
avoided,  as  much  as  possible,  conversing  upon  the 
hopeleseness  of  our  situation,  and  generally  endeav- 
ored to  lead  the  conversation  toward  our  future  pros- 
pects in  life.  The  fact  is,  that  with  the  decay  oi  out 
strength,  our  minds  decayed,  and  we  were  no  longer 
able  to  bear  the  contemplation  of  the  horrors  that  sur- 
rounded us.  Yet  we  were  calm  and  resigned  to  our 
fate ;  not  a  murmur  escaped  us,  and  wo  were  punctual 
and  fervent  in  our  addresses  to  the  Supremo  Ijeing." 

On  the  morning  of  the  20th,  they  agam  urged  Michel 
to  go  a-hunting,  Uiat  he  might,  if  possible,  leave  thew 
some  provision,  as  he  intended  quitting  tiiem  next 
day,  but  he  showed  great  unwillingness  to  y^o  out,  and 
lingered  about  the  lire  under  the  pretense  of  cleaning 
his  gun.  After  the  morning  service  had  been  read, 
Dr.  Richardson  went  out  to  gather  some  tripe  de  roche^ 
leaving  Mr.  Hood  sitting  before  the  tent  at  the  fire- 
side, arguing  with  Michel;  Hepburn  was  employed 
cutting  fire-wood.  "While  they  were  thus  engaged, 
the  treacherous  Iroquois  took  the  opportunity  to  place 
his  gun  close  to  Mr.  Hood,  and  shoot  him  through  the 
head.  He  represented  to  his  companions  that  flie  de- 
ceased had  killed  himself.  On  examination  of  the 
body,  it  was  found  that  the  shot  had  entered  the  back 
part  of  the  head  and  passed  out  at  the  forehead,  and 
that  the  muzzle  of  the  gun  had  been  applied  so  close 
as  to  set  fire  to  the  nightcap  behind.  Michel  pro- 
tested his  innocence  of  the  crime,  and  Hepburn  and 
Dr.  Richardson  dared  not  openly  evince  their  suspi- 
cion of  his  guilt. 

Next  day.  Dr.  Richardson  determined  on  going 
straight  to  the  Fort.  They  singed  the  hair  off  a  pari 
of  the  buffalo  robe  that  belonged  to  their  ill-fated  com 
panion,  and  boiled  and  ate  it.  In  the  course  of  theii 
march,  Michel  alarmed  them  much  by  his  gesturej 
and  conduct, -was  constantly  muttering  to  himself,  ex 
pressed  an  unwillingness  to  go  to  the  Fort,  and  tried 


FKANRLINS   FIRST   LAND   BXPEDITIOIf. 


61 


to  ])or9uado  thcni  to  go  southward  to  the  woods,  where 
ho  Haid  ho  could  maintain  himself  all  the  winter  hy 
killing  deer.  "  In  consoquonco  of  thin  bohavior,  and 
thu  oxproHsioi  of  his  countenance,  I  requested  him 
(sayH  Richardson)  to  leave  us,  and  to  go  to  tlie  south 
ward  by  himself.  This  proposal  increased  his  ill-na* 
ture ;  he  threw  out  some  obscure  hints  of  freeing 
himself  from  all  restraint  on  the  morrow  ;  and  I  over 
heard  him  muttering  threats  against  Hepburn,  whom 
ho  o})cnly  accused  ot  having  told  stories  against  him, 
lie  also,  for  the  first  time,  assumed  such  a  tone  of 
superiority  in  addressing  me,  as  evinced  that  he  con- 
sidered us  to  be  completely  in  his  power ;  and  he  gave 
vent  to  several  expressions  of  hatred  toward  the  white 
people,  some  of  whom,  he  said,  had  killed  and  eaten 
his  uncle  and  two  of  Iiis  relations.  In  short,  taking 
every  circumstance  of  his  conduct  into  consideration, 
I  came  to  the  conclusion  that  he  would  atteniDt  to 
destroy  us  on  the  first  opportunity  that  offered,  and 
that  he  had  hitherto  abstained  from  doing  so  from  his 
ignorance  of  his  way  to  the  Fort,  but  that  he  would 
never  suffer  us  to  go  thither  in  company  with  him. 
Hepburn  and  I  were  not  in  a  condition  to  resist  even 
an  open  attack,  nor  could  we  by  any  device  es*cape 
from  him — our  united  strength  was  far  inferior  to  his; 
and,  beside  his  gun,  he  was  armed  with  two  pistols, 
an  Indian  bayonet,  and  a  knife. 

^'  In  the  afternoon,  coming  to  a  rock  on  which  there 
was  some  tn'pe  de  roohe,  he  halted,  and  said  he  would 
gather  it  while  we  went  on,  and  that  he  would  soon 
overtake  us. 

"  Hepburn  and  I  were  now  left  together  for  the  first 
time  since  Mr.  Hood's  death,  and  he  acquainted  me  with 
several  material  circumstances,  which  lie  had  observed 
of  Michcrs  behavior,  and  which  confirmed  me  in  the 
opinion  that  there  was  no  safety  for  us  except  in  big 
death,  and  he  ofiered  to  be  the  instrument  of  it.  I  de- 
termined, however,  as  I  was  thoroughly  convinced  of 
the  necessity  of  such  a  dreadful  act,  to  take  the  whole 
responsibility  upon  myself;  and  immediately  upon  Mi 


mmm 


69 


PROGllRtlS   OF  ▲RCliU   DISOOVBRT. 


1 1 


cliel^s  coining  up.  I  put  uu  end  to  his  lite  by  Bhootiuy 
biiu  through  the  head  with  a  pistol.  Had  my  own  lite 
alone  beeu  threatened,"  obBorves  Richardson,  in  conclu- 
sion, ''  1  would  not  have  purchased  it  by  such  a  measure, 
but  I  considered  myselt  as  intrusted  also  with  the  pro- 
tection ot*  Hepburn's,  a  man  who,  by  his  humane  atten 
tions  and  devotedness,  had  so  endeared  himself  to  me, 
that  1  felt  more  anxiety  for  his  safety  than  for  my  own. 

"  Michel  had  gathered  no  t/ipe dc  roc/wy and  it  was  evi- 
dent to  us  that  ho  had  halted  tor  the  purpose  of  putting 
his  gun  in  order  with  the  intention  of  attacking  us  — 
perhaps  while  we  were  in  the  act  of  encamping. 

Persevering  onward  in  their  journey  as  well  as  the 
snow  storms  and  their  feeble  limbs  would  permit,  they 
saw  several  herds  of  deer  ;  but  Hepburn,  who  used  to 
be  a  good  marksman,  was  now  unaule  to  hold  the  gun 
straight.  Following  the  track  of  a  wolverine  which  had 
bp*5n  dragging  something,  he  however  found  the  spine 
vt  a  deer  which  it  had  dropped.  It  was  clean  piclced, 
and  at  least  one  season  old,  but  they  extracted  the  spinal 
marrow  from  it. 

A  species  of  cornicularia^  a  kind  of  lichen,  was  also 
met  with,  that  was  found  good  to  eat  when  moistened 
and  toasted  over  the  fire.  They  had  still  some  pieces 
of  singed  buftalo  hide  remaining,  and  Hepburn,  on 
one  occasion,  killed  a  partridge,  after  firing  several 
times  at  a  flock.  About  dusk  of  the  29th  they  reached 
the  Fort. 

"  Upon  entering  the  desolate  dwelling,  we  had  the 
satisfaction  of  enmracing  Capt.  Franklin,  but  no  words 
can  convey  an  idea  of  tne  filth  and  wretchedness  that 
met  our  eyes  on  looking  around.  Our  own  misery  had 
stolen  upon  us  by  degrees,  and  we  were  accustomed  to 
the  contemplation  oi  each  other's  emaciated  figures; 
but  the  ghastly  countenances,  dilated  eye-balls,  and 
sepulchral  voices  of  Captain  Franklin  and  those  with 
him  were  more  than  we  could  at  first  bear." 

Thus  ends  the  narrative  of  Richardson's  journey. 

To  resume  the  detail  of  proceedings  at  the  Fort.  On 
the  1st  of  November  two  of  the  Canadians,  Peltier  and 
Samandre,  died  fi'om  sheer  exliaustion. 


■finTifln- 


franklin's   FIU8T   LAND   EXl'KDI'nON. 


83 


On  tlie  7tli  of  Nuveniber  tliey  were  relieved  truiii 
tlioir  priviitiona  and  suttbrings  by  the  arrival  of  three 
Indians,  bringing  a  Hupplv  uf  dried  meat,  8onie  fat,  and 
a  few  ton^neH,  wliieli  nad  been  sent  off  hy  Back  with 
all  hante  from  Akaiteho's  encamumcnt  on  the  5th. 
These  Indians  nursed  and  attended  them  with  the 
greatest  care,  cleansed  the  houHC,  collected  fire- wood, 
and  studied  every  meaus  for  their  general  comfort.  Their 
sufferings  were  now  at  an  end.  On  the  2(Jth  of  Novem- 
ber they  arrived  at  the  encampment  of  the  Indian  chief, 
Akaitcho.  On  the  (Jth  of  December  Belanger  and  an- 
other Canadian  arrived,  bringing  further  supplies,  and 
letters  from  England,  from  Mr.  Back,  and  tueir  former 
companion,  Mr.  Wentzel. 

The  dispatches  from  England  announced  the  success* 
ful  termination  of  Captain  Parry's  voyage,  and  the  pro- 
motion of  Captain  Franklin,  Mr.  Back,  and  of  poor  Mr. 
Hood. 

On  the  18th  they  reached  the  Hudson's  Bay  Compa- 
ny's estal)lishment  at  Moose  Deer  Island,  where  they 
joined  their  fi'iend  Mr.  Back.  They  remained  at  Fort 
Chipewyan  until  June  of  the  following  year. 

It  is  now  necessary  to  relate  the  story  of  Mr.  Back's 
joijrney,  which,  like  the  rest,  is  a  sad  tale  of  suffering 
and  privation. 

Having  been  directed,  on  the  4th  of  October,  1821, 
to  proceed  with  St.  Germain,  Belanger,  and  Beaupar- 
lant  to  Fort  Enterprise,  in  the  hopes  of  obtaining  relief 
for  the  party,  he  set  out.  Up  to  the  7th  they  met  with 
a  little  tripe  de  roche,  but  this  failing  them  they  weie 
compelled  to  satisfy,  or  rather  allay,  the  cravings  of 
hunger,  by  eating  a  gun-cover  and  a  pair  of  old  shoas. 
The  grievous  disappointment  experienced  on  ari*iving 
at  the  house,  and  finding  it  a  deserted  ruin,  cannot  be 
told. 

"Without  the  assistance  of  the  Indians,  bereft  of 
every  resource,  we  felt  ourselves,"  says  Mr.  Buck,  "  re- 
duced to  the  most  miserable  state,  which  was  lendered 
still  worse  from  the  recollection  that  our  friends  in  the 
rear  were  as  miserable  as  ourselves.    For  the  moment, 

D 


■il 


84 


PROGRESS  OF  AKCTIO   DISCOVERT. 


7  r 

if 

t 


i 


however,  hunger  r^revailed,  and  eacli  be^an  to  i^naw 
the  scraps  of  putrid*  and  frozen  meat  and  skin  that  were 
lying  about,  without  waiting  to  prepare  them."  A  lire 
was,  however,  afterward  made,  and  the  neck  and  bones 
of  a  deer  found  in  the  house  were  boiled  and  devoured 

After  resting  a  day  at  the  house,  Mr.  Back  pushed  on 
with  his  companions  in  search  of  the  Indians,  leaving  a 
note  for  Captain  Franklin,  informing  him  if  he  failed  in 
meeting  with  the  Indians,  he  intended  to  push  on  for 
the  first  trading  establishment  —  distant  about  130 
miles  —  and  send  us  succor  from  thence.  On  the  11th 
he  set  cut  on  the  journey,  a  few  old  skins  having'  been 
first  collected  to  serve  as  food. 

On  the  13th  and  14:th  of  October  they  bad  nothing 
whatever  to  eat.  Belanger  was  sent  oif  with  a  note  to 
Franklin.  On  the  15th  they  were  fortunate  enough  to 
fall  in  with  a  partridge,  the  bone  j  of  which  were  eaten, 
and  the  remainder  reserved  for  bait  to  fish  with. 
Enough  tripe  de  roche  was,  however,  gathered  to  make 
a  meal.  Ileauparlant  now  lingered  behind,  worn  out 
by  extreme  weakness.  On  the  17th  a  number  of  crows, 
percl'.ed  on  some  high  pines,  led  them  to  believe  that 
some  carrion  was  near;  and  on  searching,  several  heads 
of  deer,  half  buried  in  the  snow  and  ice,  without  eyes 
or  tongues,  were  found.  An  expression  of  "  Oh,  merci- 
ful God,  we  are  saved,"  broke  from  tiiem  both  and  with 
fetJngs  more  easily  imagined  than  described,  they 
shook  hands,  not  kncwing  what  to  say  for  joy. 

St.  Germain  was  sent  back,  to  bring  up  JBeaupailant, 
for  whose  safety  Back  became  very  anxious,  but  he 
found  the  poor  fellow  frozen  to  death. 

The  night  of  the  17th  was  cold  and  clear,  but  they 
could  get  no  sleep.  "  From  the  pains  of  having  eaten, 
we  suffered  (observes  Back)  the  most  excruciating  tor- 
ments, though  I  in  particular  did  not  eat  a  quarter  of 
what  would  have  satisfied  me ;  It  might  have  been  from 
having  eaten  a  quantity  of  raw  or  frozen  sinews  of  the 
legs  01  deer,  which  neither  of  rs  could  avoid  doing,  so 
great  was  our  hunger." 

On  the  following  day  Belanger  returned  IVmishing 


PAERY'S    FIliST    VOlAaW. 


85 


ivith  hunger,  and  told  of  the  pitiable  state  of  Franklin 
and  his  reduced  party.  Back,  both  this  day  and  the 
next,  tried  to  urge  on  his  companions  toward  the  object 
of  their  journey,  but  he  could  not  conquer  their  stub- 
born, determinations.  They  said  they  were  unable  to 
proceed  from  weakness  ;  knew  not  the  way  ;  that  L  ick 
wanted  to  expose  them  again  to  death,  and  in  fact  loi- 
tered greedily  about  tlie  remnants  o:  the  deer  till  the 
end  ot  the  month.  "It  was  not  without  the  greatotl 
difficulty  that  I  could  restrain  the  men  from  eating  ev- 
ery scrap  the}  found  ;  though  they  were  well  aware  of 
the  necessity  there  was  of  being  economical  in  our  pres- 
ent situation,  and  to  save  whatever  they  could  for  oui 
journey,  yet  they  could  not  resist  the  temptation  ;  and 
whenever  my  back  was  turned  they  seldom  failed  to 
snatch  at  the  nearest  piece  to  them,  whether  cooked  or 
raw.  Having  collected  with  great  care,  and  by  selt- 
denial,  two  small  packets  of  dried  meat  or  sinews  s  ilH- 
cient  (for  men  who  knew  what  it  was  to  fast)  to  last  for 
eight  days,  at  the  rate  of  one  indifferent  meal  ;jer  day, 
they  set  out  on  the  30th.  On  the  3d  of  No^^cmber  they 
came  on  the  track  of  Indians,  and  sot^.i  reached  the 
tents  of  Akaitcho  and  his  followers,  when  food  was 
obtained, and  assistance  sent  off  to  Franklin. 

In  July  they  reached  York  Factory,  from  whence 
they  had  started  three  years  before,  and  thus  terminated 
a  journey  of  555u  miles,  during  which  human  courage 
and  patience  were  exposed  to  trials  sucIj  as  few  can 
bear  with  fortitude,  unless,  as  is  seen  in  Franklin's  in- 
teresting narrative,  arising  out  of  reliance  on  the  ever 
sustaining  care  of  an  Almighty  Providence. 

Parry's  First  Voyage,  1819-1820. 

Thb  Admiralty  having  determined  to  continue  the 
progress  of  discovery  in  the  Arctic  seas,  Lieut  W.  E. 
Parry,  who  had  been  second  in  command  under  Capt. 
Ross,  in  the  voyage  of  the  previous  year,  was  selected 
to  take  chargj  of  a  new  expedition,  consisting  of  the 
Ilecla  and  Gr'per.  The  chief  ooject  of  this  voyage  was 
to  pursue  the  survey  of  Lancaster  Sound,  and  decida 


66 


PK0GRES8    OF   ARCTIC   DISCOVEKT. 


on  the  probability  of  a  northwest  passage  in  tliat  direc- 
tion; failing   in  which,  Smith's   and   Jones'  Sc  utk^ 
were  to  be  explored,  with  the  same  purpose  in  view. 
The  respective    oflBcers  appointed    to  the    shiub, 
were  — 

# 

Uecla^  375  tons : 

Lieut,  and  Commander  —  W.  E.  Parry. 

Lieutenant — Fred.  W.  Beechey. 

Captain  —  E.  Sabine,  R.  A.,  Astronomer. 

Purser  —  W.  H.  Hooper. 

Surgeon  —  John  Edwards. 

Assistant  Surgeon  —  Alexander  Fisher, 

Midshipmen  —  James  Clarke  Ross,  J.  Nias,  W.  J 

Dealy,  Charles  Palmer,  John  Bushnan. 
Greenland  Pilots  —  J.  Allison,  master ;  G.  Craw 

furd,  mate. 
44  Petty  OflBcers,  Seamen,  «fec. 

Total  complement,  58. 

Grip^r^  180  tons : 

Lieutenant  and  Commander  —  Matthew  Liddon. 
Lieutenant  —  H.  P.  Hoppner. 
Assistant  Surgeon  —  C.  J.  Beverley. 
Midshipmen  —  A.   Reid,   A.    M.    Skene,    W.    N 

Griffiths. 
Greenland  Pilots  —  George  Fyfe,  master ;  A.  Eld 

mate. 
28  Petty  Oifficers,  Seamen,  &c. 

Total  complement,  36. 

The  ships  were  raised  upon,  strengthened,  and  well 
found  in  stores  and  provisions  for  two  years.  On  tic 
lltli  of  May,  1819,  they  got  away  from  the  Thames, 
and  aller  a  fair  passage  fell  in  with  a  considerable  quan- 
tity of  ice  in  the  middle  of  Davis'  Straits  about  the 
20th  of  June  ;  it  consisted  chiefly  of  fragments  of  ice- 
bergs, on  the  outskirts  of  the  glaciers  that  fonn  along 
the  shore.  After  a  tedious  passage  through  the  floes 
of  ice,  eflfected  chiefly  by  heaving  and  warping,  they 
arrived  at  I^ossession  Bay  on  the  morning  of  the  31b( 


.  ,t.<i^^w^^«^J«^/  -,-^'.***^' 


PARRY  8   FIRST   VOYAGE. 


8t 


of  July,  being  just  a  month  earlier  than  they  were 
here  on  the  previous  year.  As  many  as  fifty  whales 
were  seen  here  in  the  course  of  a  few  hours.  On  land- 
ing, they  were  not  a  little  astonished  to  find  their  own 
fuot2)rint8  of  the  previous  year,  still  distinctly  visible  in 
tlie  snow.  During  an  excursion  of  three  or  four  miles 
into  the  interior,  a  fox,  a  raven,  several  ring-plovers 
and  snow-buntings,  were  seen,  as  also  a  bee,  from  which 
it  may  be  inferred  that  honey  can  be  procured  even  in 
these  wild  regions.  Vegetation  flourishes  remarkably 
well  here,  considering  the  high  latitude,  for  wherever 
there  was  moisture,  tufts  and  various  ground  plants 
grew  in  considerable  abundance. 

Proceeding  on  from  hence  into  the  Sound,  they  veri- 
fied the  opinion  which  had  previously  been  entertained 
by  many  of  the  ofiicers,  that  the  Crolcer  Mountains 
had  no  existence,  for  on  the  4th  of  August,  the  sliips 
were  in  long.  86°  56'  W.,  three  degrees  to  the  westward 
of  where  land  had  been  laid  down  by  Koss  in  the  pre- 
vious year.  Tlie  strait  was  named  after  Sir  John  Bar- 
row, and  was  found  to  be  pretty  clear  ;  but  on  reach- 
ing Leopold  Island,  the  ice  extended  in  a  compact  body 
to  the  north,  through  which  it  was  impossible  to  pene- 
trate. Rather  than  remain  inactive,  waiting  for  the 
dissolution  of  the  ice.  Parry  determined  to  try  what 
could  be  done  by  shaping  his  course  to  the  southward, 
through  the  magnificent  inlet  now  named  Regent  In- 
let. About  the  6th  of  August,  in  consequence  of  tlie 
local  attraction,  the  ordinary  compasses  became  use- 
less from  their  great  variation,  and  the  binnacles  were 
removed  from  the  deck  to  the  carpenter's  store-room  as 
useless  lumber,  the  azimuth  compasses  alone  remain- 
ing ;  and  these  became  so  sluggish  in  their  motions, 
that  they  required  to  be  very  nicely  leveled,  and  fre- 
quently tapped  before  the  card  traversed.  The  local  at- 
traction was  very  great,  and  a  mass  of  iron-f-tone  found 
on  shore  attracted  the  magnet  powerfully.  The  Bhij>8 
proceeded  120  miles  from  the  entrance. 

On  the  8th  of  Au^  ist,  in  lat.  72°  13'  N.,  and  long. 
90°  29'  W.J  (his  extreme  point  of  view  Parry  namec) 


.'^«i  T 1  v«!  ■'>-^'aiiaMt««MliMU|«|li|Hi 


1* 


88 


PROGRESS   OF   ARCTIC   DISCOVERY. 


'I!=l'- 


Cape  Kuter,)  the  Jiecla  came  to  a  compact  barrier  of 
ice  extending  across  the  inlet,  which  rendered  oiu'.  of 
two  alternatives  necessary,  either  to  remain  here  until 
an  opening  took  place,  or  to  return  again  to  the  north- 
ward.  The  latter  course  was  determined  on.  Making, 
therefore,  for  the  northern  shore  of  Barrow's  Strait,  on 
the  20th  a  narrow  channel  was  discovered  between  the 
ice  and  the  land.  On  the  22d,  proceeding  due  west, 
after  passing  several  bays  and  headlands,  they  noticed 
two  large  openings  or  passages,  the  lirst  of  which,  more 
than  ci^ht  leagues  in  width,  he  named  Wellington 
Channel.  To  various  capes,  inlets,  and  groups  ot  isl- 
ands passed,  Parry  assigned  the  names  of  llotham, 
Barlow,  Cornwallis,  Bowen,  Byam  Martin,  Griffith, 
Lowther,  Bathurst,  &c.  On  the  28th  a  boat  was  sent 
on  sliore  at  Byam  Martin  Island  with  Capt.  Sabine, 
Mr.  J.  C.  Ross,  and  the  surgeons,  to  make  observations, 
and  collect  bpecimens  of  natural  history.  The  vegeta- 
tion was  ratner  luxuriant  for  these  regions;  moss  in 
particular  grew  in  abundance  in  the  moist  valleys  and 
along  the  oanks  of  the  streams  that  flowed  from  the 
liills.  The  ruins  of  six  Esquimaux  huts  were  observed. 
Tracks  of  reindeer,  bears,  and  musk  oxen  were  noticed, 
and  the  skeletons,  skulls,  and  horns  of  some  of  these 
animals  were  found. 

On  the  1st  of  September,  they  discovered  the  largo 
and  line  island,  to  which  Parry  has  given  the  name  of 
Melville  Island  after  the  First  Lord  of  the  Admiralty 
of  that  day.  On  the  following  day,  two  boats  with  a 
party  of  officers  were  dispatched  to  examine  its  shores. 
Some  reindeer  and  musk  oxen  were  seen  on  landing, 
but  being  startled  by  the  eight  of  a  dog,  it  was  found 
impossible  to  get  near  them.  There  seemed  here  to  l)e 
a  great  quantity  of  the  animal  tribe,  for  the  tracks  of 
bears,  oxen,  ana  deer  were  numerous,  and  the  horns, 
skin,  and  skulls  were  also  found.  The  burrows  of  foxes 
and  field-mice  were  observed;  several  ptarmigan  were 
shot,  and  flocks  of  snow-bunting,  geese,  and  ducks,  were 
noticed,  probably  commencing  their  migration  to  a 
milder  climate.    Alonsf  the  beach  there  was  an  im- 


pajiey's  first  voyage. 


89 


of 

',  of 

11  til 
rtli- 

,,  on 
tho 
vest, 
;iced 
iiore 
igton 
fisl- 
ham, 

imtb, 

i  sent 
ibine, 
ttions, 
egeta- 
jss  in 
rs  and 
the 
ved. 
>ticed, 
these 


in 


were 

to  a 

Ln  ina- 


mense  number  of  small  shrimps,  and  various  kinds  of 
filiells. 

On  the  4th  of  September,  Parry  had  the  satisfaction 
of  crossing  the  meridian  of  110°  W.,  in  the  latitude  of 
74°  44'  20",  by  which  the  expedition  became  entitled 
to  the  reward  of  £5000,  granted  by  an  order  in  Coun- 
cil upon  the  Act  58  Geo.  III.,  cap.  '^0,  entitled,  "An 
Act  for  more  effectually  discovering  the  longitude  at 
sea,  and  encouraging  attempts  to  find  a  northern  pas- 
sage between  the  Auantic  and  Pacific  Oceans,  and  to 
approach  tlie  North  Pole."  This  fact  was  not  announced 
to  the  crews  until  the  following  day ;  to  celebrate  tbo 
event  tliey  gave  to  a  bold  cape  of  the  island  then  lying 
in  sight  the  name  of  Bounty  Cape ;  and  so  anxious 
were  they  now  to  press  forward,  that  they  began  to 
calculate  the  time  when  they  should  reach  tho  longi- 
tude of  130°  W.,  the  second  place  specified  by  the  order 
in  Council  for  reward.  On  the  afternoon  of  the  5th, 
the  compactness  of  the  ice  stopped  them,  and  therefore, 
for  the  first  time  since  leaving  England,  the  anchor  was 
let  go,  and  that  in  110°  "W.  longitude. 

A  boat  was  sent  on  shore  on  the  6th  to  procure  turf 
or  peat  for  fuel,  and,  strangely  enough,  some  small 
pieces  of  tolerably  good  coal  were  found  in  various 
places  scattered  over  the  surface.  A  party  of  officers 
that  went  on  shore  on  the  8th  killed  sevei*al  grouse  on 
the  island,  and  a  white  hare ;  a  fox,  some  field-mice, 
several  snow-bunting,  a  snowy  owl,  and  four  musk  oxen 
were  seen.  Ducks,  m  sraall  nocks,  were  seen  along  the 
shore,  aa  "^oM  as  several  glaucous  gulls  and  tern,  and  a 
solitary  eeu-  was  observea. 

Vs  the  shipB  were  coasting  along  on  the  7th,  two 
lj.erd  •■  n,  k  oxen  were  seen  grazing,  at  tho  distance 
of  at  three  quarters  of  a  mile  from  the  beach  :  one 
Devi  consisted  of  nine,  and  the  other  of  five  of  these 
cattle.    T  ey  had  also  a  distant  view  of  two  reindeer 

The  average  weight  of  the  hares  hero  is  about  eight 
pounds.  Mr.  Fisher,  the  surgeon,  from  whose  interest- 
ing journal  I  quote,  states  that  it  is  very  evident  that 
this  island  must  be  frequented,  if  not  constantly  inhal> 


90 


PROGRESS   OF   ARCTIC   DISCOVERT. 


li- 


lted, by  musk  oxen  in  great  numbers,  for  their  bones  and 
horns  are  found  scattered  about  in  all  directions,  and 
the  greatest  |>art  of  the  carcass  of  one  was  discovered 
on  one  occasion.  The  skulls  of  two  carnivorous  ani- 
mals, a  wolf  and  a  lynx,  were  also  picked  up  here.  A 
party  sent  to  gather  coals  brought  on  board  about  half 
a  bushel — all  they  could  obtain. 

On  the  morning  of  the  10th,  Mr.  George  Fyfe,  tlie 
master  pilot,  with  a  party  of  six  men  belonging  to  the 
Griper,  landed  with  a  view  of  making  an  exploringtrip 
of  some  fifteen  or  twenty  miles  into  the  interior.  They 
only  took  provisions  for  a  day  with  them.  Great  un- 
easiness was  felt  that  they  did  not  return  ;  and  when 
two  days  elapsed,  fears  began  to  be  entertained  for 
their  safety,  and  it  was  thought  they  must  have  lost 
their  way. 

Messrs.  Reid,  (midshipman)  Beverly,  (assistant  sur- 
geon) and  Wakeman  (clerk)  volunteerea  to  go  in  search 
of  their  missing  messmates,  but  themselves  lost  their 
way  ;  guided  by  the  rockets,  fires,  and  lights  exhibited, 
they  returned  by  ten  at  night,  almost  exhausted  with 
cold  and  fatigue,  but  without  intelligence  of  their  friends. 
Four  relief  parties  were  therefore  organized,  and  sent 
out  on  the  morning  of  the  13th  to  prosecute  the  search, 
and  one  of  them  fell  in  with  and  brought  back  four  of 
the  wanderers,  and  another  the  remaining  three  before 
nightfall. 

The  feet  of  most  of  them  were  much  frost-bitten,  and 
they  were  all  wearied  and  worn  out  with  their  wander- 
ings. It  appears  they  had  all  lost  their  way  the  eve- 
ning of  the  day  they  went  out.  With  regard  to  food, 
they  were  by  no  means  badly  off,  for  they  managed  to 
kill  as  man)  grouse  as  they  could  eat. 

They  found  fertile  valleys  and  level  plains  in  the  in- 
terior, abounding  with  grass  and  moss  ;  also  a  lake  of 
fresh  water,  a^^out  two  miles  long  by  one  broad,  in  which 
were  several  species  of  trout.  They  saw  several  herds 
of  reindeer  on  the  plains,  and  two  elk ;  also  many 
Iiares,  but  no  musk  oxen.  Some  of  those,  however,  who 
had  been  in  search  of  the  stray  party,  noticed  herds  of 
these  cattle. 


parry's  first  voyage. 


91 


The  winter  now  began  to  set  in,  and  the  packed  ice 
was  so  tliick,  that  fears  were  entertained  of  being  locked 
lip  in  an  exposed  position  on  the  coast ;  it  was,  there- 
fore, thought  most  prudent  to  put  back,  and  endeavor 
to  reach  me  harbor  which  had  been  passed  some  days 
before.  The  vessels  now  ^ot  seriously  buffeted  anioni/ 
the  floes  and  hummocks  ol  ice.  The  Griper  was  forced 
aground  on  the  beach,  and  for  some  time  was  in  a  very 
critical  position.  Lieutenant  Liddon  having  been  con- 
fined to  his  cabin  by  a  rheumatic  complaint,  was  pi  cased 
at  this  junctuKe  by  Commander  Parry  to  allow  himself 
to  be  removed  to  the  Hecia,  but  he  nobly  refused,  stating 
that  he  should  be  the  last  to  leave  the  ship,  and  contin- 
ued giving  orders.  The  beach  being  sand,  the  Gripei 
was  got  on  without  injury. 

On  the  23d  of  September  they  anchored  off  the 
mouth  of  the  harbor,  and  the  thermometer  now  fell  to 
1°.  The  crew  were  set  to  work  to  cut  a  channel  through 
the  ice  to  the  shore,  and  in  the  course  of  three  days,  a 
canal,  two  and  a  half  miles  in  length,  was  completed, 
through  which  the  vessel  was  traeked.  The  ice  was 
eight  or  nine  inches  thick.  An  extra  allowance  of  ]) re- 
served meat  was  served  out  to  the  men,  in  considera- 
tion of  their  hard  labor.  The  vessels  were  unrigged, 
and  every  thing  made  snug  and  secure  for  passing  the 
winter.  Captain  Parry  gave  the  name  of  the  North 
Georgian  Islands  to  this  group,  after  his  Majesty,  King 
(reorge  III.,  but  this  has  since  been  changed  to  the 
Parrv  Islands, 

Two  reindeer  were  killed  on  the  Ist  of  October,  and 
s.'veral  white  bears  were  seen.  On  the  6th  a  deer  was 
k'lled,  which  weighed  170  pounds.  Seven  were  seen 
ou  the  10th,  one  of  which  watt  killed,  and  another  se- 
Torely  wounded.  Following  after  this  animal,  night 
ij\  ertook  several  of  the  sportsmen,  and  the  usual  sig- 
nals of  rockets,  lights,  &c.  were  exhibited,  to  gui<lo 
them  back.  One,  John  Pearson,  a  marine,  had  his 
hands  so  frost-bitten  that  he  was  obliged,  on  the  2d  of 
November,  to  have  the  four  fingers  of  nis  left  hand  am- 
putated. A  wolf  and  four  reindeer  were  seen  on  the 
6  D* 


m 


92 


PROGRESS  OF  AJidlC    DISCOVERY. 


'if^- 


14  th.  A  herd  of  fifteen  deer  were  seen  on  the  16th; 
but  those  who  saw  them  could  not  bring  down  any,  as 
their  fowliiiff-pieces  missed  fire,  from  the  moisture 
freezing  on  the  locks.  On  the  17th  and  18th  herds  of 
eleven  and  twenty  respectively,  were  seen,  and  a  small 
one  was  shot.  A  fox  was  caught  on  the  29th,  which  is 
described  as  equally  cunning  with  his  brethren  of  the 
teh.perate  regions. 

To  make  the  long  winter  pass  as  cheerfully  as  possi- 
ble, plays  were  acted,  a  school  established,  and  a  news- 
paper set  on  foot,  certainly  the  first  periodical  publica- 
tion that  had  ever  issued  from  the  Arctic  regions.  The 
title  of  this  journal,  the  editorial  duties  of  which  were 
undertaken  by  Captain  Sabine,  was  "The  Winter 
Cln*onicle,  or  New  Georgia  Gazette."  Th'^  first  num- 
ber appeared  on  the  1st  of  November. 

On  the  evening  of  the  6th  of  November  the  farce  of 
"  Mi88  in  her  Teens "  was  brought  out,  to  the  great 
anuisenient  of  the  ships'  companies,  and,  considering 
the  local  difficulties  and  disadvantages  under 'which  tlie 
performers  labored,  their  first  essay,  according  to  the 
officers'  report,  did  them  infinite  credit.  Two  hours 
were  spent  very  happily  in  their  theater  on  the  quarter- 
deck, notwithstanding  the  thermometer  outside  the  ship 
stood  at  zero,  and  within  as  low  as  the  freezing  point, 
except  close  to  the  stoves,  where  it  was  a  little  higher. 
Another  play  was  performed  on  the  24th,  and  so  on 
every  fortnight.  The  men  were  employed  during  the 
day  in  banking  up  the  ships  with  snow. 

On  the  23d  of  December,  the  officers  performed  "  The 
Mayoi'  of  Garrett,"  which  was  followed  by  an  after- 
piece, written  by  Captain  Parry,  entitled  the  "  North- 
West  Passage,  or  the  Voyage  Finished."  The  sun  hav- 
ing long  since  departed,  the  twilight  at  noon  was  so 
clear  that  books  in  the  smallest  print  could  be  distinctly 
read. 

On  the  6th  of  January,  the  farce  of  "  Bon  Ton  "  was 
performed,  with  the  thermometer  at  27°  below  zero.-- 
The  cold  became  more  and  r  lore  intense.  On  the  12th 
it  was  61°  bel(  w  ze:o,  in  the  open  air ;  brandy  froze  U 


PAKRYS    FIRST    VOYAGE. 


98 


the  consistency  of  honey;  when  tasted  in  this  state  it 
left  a  smarting  on  the  tongue.  The  greatest  cold  expe- 
rienced wafi.i)n  the  14th  of  January,  whe»  the  tlier- 
inometer  fell  to  52°  below  zero.  On  the  3d  of  Febi  u 
ary,  the  sun  was  first  visible  above  the  horizon,  after 
eighty-fonr  days'  absence.  It  was  seen  from  the  main- 
top of  the  ships,  a  height  of  about  fifty-one  feet  abovo 
the  sea. 

On  the  forenoon  of  the  24th  a  fire  broke  out  at  the 
storehouse,  which  was  used  as  an  observatory.  All 
hands  proceeded  to  the  spot  to  endeavor  to  subdue  the 
flames,  but  having  only  snow  to  throw  on  it,  and  the 
mats  with  which  the  interior  was  lined  being  very  dry, 
it  was  found  impossible  to  extinguish  it.  The  snow, 
iiowever,  covered  the  astronomical  instruments  and  se- 
cured them  from  the  fire,  and  wlien  the  roof  had  been 
pulled  down  the  fire  had  burned  itself  out.  Consider- 
able as  the  fire  was,  its  influence  or  heat  extended  but 
a  very  short  distance,  for  several  of  the  officers  and 
men  were  frost-bitten,  and  confined  from  their  eftbrta 
for  several  weeks.  John  Smith,  of  the  Artillery,  who 
was  Captain  Sabine's  servant,  and  who,  together  with 
Sergeant  Martin,  happened  to  be  in  the  house  at  the 
time  the  fire  broke  out,  suff*ered  much  more  severely. 
In  their  anxiety  to  save  the  dipping  needle,  which  was 
standing  close  to  the  stove,  and  of  which  they  knew 
the  value,  they  immediately  ran  out  with  it;  and  Smith 
not  having  time  to  put  on  his  gloves,  had  his  fingers  in 
half  an  hour  so  benumbed,  and  the  animation  so  com- 
pletely suspended,  that  on  his  being  taken  on  board 
by  Mr.  Edwards,  and  having  his  hands  plunged  into 
a  basin  of  cold  water,  the  surface  of  the  water  was  im- 
mediately frozen  by  the  intense  cold  thus  suddenly 
communicated  to  it;  and  notwithstanding  the  most  hu- 
mane and  unremitting  attention  paid  him  by  the  med- 
ical gentlemen,  it  was  found  necessary,  some  time  after, 
to  resort  to  the  amputation  of  a  part  of  four  fingers 
on  one  hand,  and  three  on  the  other. 

Parry  adds,  "  the  appearance  which  our  faces  pre- 
Bputed  at  the  fire  was  a  curious  one;  almost  every  nose 


94 


PB00BES8   OF   iKailO  DISCOVUKT. 


:;n 


im 

ill  ''  ■'<:.[■ 


m  \v- 


W  if'l 


and  cheek  having  become  quite  white  with  frost  bitcs^ 
in  fiye  minutes  after  being  exposed  to  the  weather,  su- 
tliat  it  was  deemed  necessary  for  the  medical  gentle- 
men, together  with  some  others  appointed  to  assist 
them,  to  go  constantly  round  while  the  men  were  work- 
ing at  the  fire,  and  to  rub  with  snow  the  parts  affected, 
in  order  to  restore  animation." 

The  weather  got  considerably  milder  in  March;  on 
the  6th  the  thermometer  got  up  to  zero  for  the  first 
time  since  the  17th  of  December.  The  observatory 
house  on  shore  was  now  rebuilt. 

The  vapor,  which  had  been  in  a  solid  state  on  tha 
fihip's  sides,  now  thawed  below,  and  the  crew,  scraping 
off  the  coating  of  ice,  removed  on  the  8th  of  March, 
above  a  hundred  bucketsfuU  each,  containing  from  five 
to  six  gallons,  which  had  accumulated  in  less  than  a 
month,  occasioned  principally  from  the  men's  breath, 
and  the  steam  of  victuals  at  meals. 

The  scurvy  now  broke  out  among  the  crew,  and 
prompt  measures  were  taken  to  remedy  it.  Captain 
rarry  took  great  pains  to  raise  mustard  and  cress  in 
his  cabin  for  the  men's  use. 

On  the  30th  of  April,  the  thermometer  stood  at  the 
freezing  point,  which  it  had  not  done  since  the  12th  of 
September  last.  On  the  1st  of  May,  the  sun  was  seen 
at  midnight  for  the  first  time  that  season. 

A  survey  was  now  taken  of  the  provisions,  fuel,  and 
stores;  much  of  the  lemon  juice  was  found  destroyed 
from  the  bursting  in  the  bottles  by  the  frost.  Having 
been  only  victualed  for  two  years,  and  half  that  period 
having  expired.  Captain  Parry,  as  a  matter  of  prudence 
reduced  all  hands  to  two-thirds  allowance  of  all  sorts  of 
provisions,  except  meat  and  sugar. 

The  crew  were  now  set  to  work  in  cutting  away  the 
ice  round  the  ships :  the  average  thickness  was  found 
to  be  seven  feet.  Many  of  the  men  who  had  been  out 
on  excui'sions  began  to  suffer  much  fi'om  snow  blind- 
ness. The  sensation  when  first  experienced,  is  de- 
scribed as  like  that  felt  when  dust  or  sand  gets  into 
the  eyes     They  were,  however,  cured  in  the  course  of 


r2::nY's  first 


VOYAGB. 


^ay  the 
found 
jeii  out 
blind- 
is  de- 
Its  into 
irso  of 


two  or  tlueo  days  by  keeping  the  eyes  covered,  and 
bathing  thum  occasionally  with  sugar  of  load,  or  some 
other  cooling  lotion. 

To  prevent  the  recurrence  of  the  complaint,  the  men 
were  ordered  to  wear  a  piece  of  crape  or  somo  substi- 
tute for  it  over  the  eyes. 

The  channel  round  the  ships  was  -rompleted  by  the 
ITth  of  May,  and  they  rose  nearly  two  feet,  having 
been  kept  down  by  the  pressure  of  the  ice  round  them, 
although  lightened  during  the  winter  by  the  consump- 
tion ot  fooa  and  fuel.  On  the  24th,  they  were  aston- 
ished by  two  showers  of  rain,  a  most  extraordinary 
phenomenon  in  these  regions.  Symptoms  of  scurvy 
again  appeared  among  the  crew ;  one  of  the  seamen 
wlio  had  been  recently  cured,  having  imprudently  been 
In  the  habit  of  eating  the  fat  skimmmgs,  or  "  slush,"  in 
which  salt  meat  had  oeen  boiled,  and  which  was  served 
out  for  their  lamps.  As  the  hills  in  raany  places  now  be- 
came exposed  and  vegetation  commenced,  two  or  three 
pieces  of  ground  were  dug  up  and  sown  with  seeds  of 
radishes,  onions,  and  other  vegetables.  Captain  Parry 
determined  before  leaving  to  make  an  excursion  across 
the  island  for  the  purpose  of  examining  its  size,  bound- 
aries, productions,  &c.  Accordingly  on  the  Ist  of  June, 
an  expedition  was  organized,  consisting  of  the  com- 
mander, Captain  Sabine,  Mr.  Fisher,  the  assistant-sur- 
geon, Mr.  John  Nias,  midshipman  of  the  Ilecla,  and 
Mr.  Keid,  midshipman  of  the  Griper,  with  two  ser 
geants,  and  five  seamen  and  marines.  Three  weeks 
provisions  were  taken,  which,  together  with  tivo  tents 
wood  for  fuel,  and  other  articles,  weighing  in  all  about 
800  lbs.,  was  drawn  on  a  cart  prepared  for  the  purpose 
by  the  men. 

Each  of  the  ofllcerB  /jarried  a  knapsack  with  his  own 
private  baggage,  weighing  from  18  to  24  lbs.,  also  big 
gun  and  ammunitioirj.  The  party  started  in  high  glee, 
11  ider  three  hearty  cheers  from  treir  comrades,  sixteen 
of  whom  accompanied  them  for  five  miles,  carrying 
their  knapsacks  and  drawing  the  cart  for  them. 

TUey  tiaveled  by  night,  taking  \eA  by  day,  as  it  w»i 


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PKOGKESS    OF   ARCTIC   DI8C0VKRY. 


found  to  be  warmer  for  sleep,  and  they  had  only  a  cov 
ering  of  a  single  blanket  each,  beside  the  clothes  tbey 
liad  on. 

On  the  2d,  they  came  to  a  small  lake,  about  half  a 
mile  long,  and  met  with  eider-ducks  and  ptarmigan  ; 
seven  ofthe  latter  were  shot.  From  the  top  of  a  range 
of  hills  at  which  they  now  arrived,  they  could  see  the 
masts  of  the  ships  in  Winter  Harbor  with  the  naked 
eye,  at  about  ten  or  eleven  miles  distant.  A  vast  plain 
was  also  seen  extending  to  the  northward  and  west- 
ward. 

The  party  breakf'^sted  on  biscuit  and  a  pint  of  gruel 
each,  made  of  salep  powder,  which  was  round  to  be  a 
very  palatable  diet  Keindeer  with  their  fawns  were 
met  "vvith. 

They  derived  great  assistance  in  dragging  their  cart 
by  rigging  upon  it  one  of  the  tent-blankets  as  a  sail,  a 
truly  nautical  contrivance,  and  the  wind  favoring  them, 
they  made  great  progress  in  this  way.  Captain  Sabine 
being  taken  ill  with  a  bowel  complaint,  had  to  be  con- 
veyed on  this  novel  sail  carriage.  They,  however,  had 
some  ugly  ravines  to  pass,  the  crossings  of  which  were 
very  tedious  and  troublesome.  On  the  7th  the  party 
came  to  a  large  bay,  which  was  named  after  their  ships, 
Ilecla  and  Griper  bay.  The  blue  ice  was  cut  through 
by  hard  work  with  boardirg  pikes,  the  only  instruments 
they  had,  and  after  digging  fourteen  and  a  half  feet, 
the  water  rushed  up ;  it  wes  not  very  salt,  but  sufficient 
to  satisfy  them  that  it  was  the  ocean.  An  island  seen 
in  the  distance  was  named  after  Captain  Sabine  ;  seme 
of  the  various  points  and  capes  were  also  named  after 
others  of  the  party.  Although  this  «hore  was  found 
blocked  up  with  such  heavy  ice,  there  appear  to  be  times 
when  there  is  open  water  here,  for  a  piece  of  fir  wood 
seven  and  a  half  feet  long,  and  about  the  thickness  of 
a  man's  arm,  was  found  about  eighty  yards  inland  from 
the  hummocks  of  the  beach,  and  about  thirty  feet  above 
the  level  of  the  sea.  Before  leaving  the  shore,  a  monu 
ment  of  stones,  twelve  feet  high,  was  erected,  in  which 
were  deposited,  in  a  tin  cylinder,  an  account  of  theii 


PA.RBY8   FIRST   VOYAGE. 


97 


^ 


i«  ceedings,  a  few  coins,  and  several  naval  bnttons. 
be  expedition  now  turned  back,  shaping  its  course  in 
a  more  westerly  direction, toward  some  high  blue  hilla 
which  had  long  been  in  sight.  On  many  days  several 
ptarmigans  were  shot  The  horns  and  tracks  of  deer 
were  very  numerous. 

On  the  11th  they  came  in  sight  of  a  deep  gulf,  to 
which  Lieutenant  Liddon's  name  was  given  ;  tne  two 
capes  at  its  entrance  being  called  after  Beechey  and 
Hoppner.  In  the  center  was  an  island  about  three-quar- 
ters of  a  mile  in  length,  and  rising  abruptly  to  the 
height  of  700  feet.  The  shores  of  the  gulr  were  very 
rugged  and  precipitant,  and  in  descending  a  steep  hill, 
the  axle-tree  of  their  cart  broke,  and  they  had  to  leave 
it  behind,  taking  the  bodv  with  them,  however,  for  fuel. 
The  wheels,  which  were  left  on  the  spot,  may  astonish 
some  futui;p  adventurer  who  discovers  them.  The  stores, 
&c.,  were  divided  among  the  oflScers  and  men. 

Making  their  wav  on  the  ice  in  the  gulf,  the  island  in 
the  center  was  explored,  and  named  after  Mr.  Hooper, 
the  purser  of  the  Hecla.  It  was  found  to  be  of  sand- 
stone, and  very  barren,  rising  pei-pendicularly  fi'om  the 
west  side.  Four  fat  geese  were  killed  here,  and  a  great 
many  animals  were  seen  around  the  guH;  some  atten- 
tion being  paid  to  examining  its  shores,  &c.,  a  fine  open 
valley  was  discovered,  ana  the  tracks  of  oxen  and 
deer  were  v  sry  numerous ;  the  pasturage  appeared  to 
be  excellent. 

On  the  13th,  a  few  ptarmigan  and  golden  plover  were 
killed.  No  less  than  thirteen  deer  in  one  herd  were 
seen,  and  a  musk  ox  for  the  first  time  in  this  season. 

The  remains  of  six  Esquimaux  huts  were  discovered 
about  300  yards  f-*om  the  beach.  Vegetation  now  be- 
gan to  flourish,  the  sorrel  was  foniud  far  advanced,  and 
a  species  of  saxifrage  was  met  with  in  blossom.  They 
reached  the  ships  on  the  evening  of  the  15th,  after  a 
journey  of  about  180  miles. 

The  ships'  crews,  during  thoir  absence,  had  been  occu- 
pied in  getting  ballauc  in  and  re-st  wing  the  hold. 

Shooting  parties  were  now  sent    ut  in  various  direcv 


98 


PROGRESS   OF  AROTIO  fclSOOYERY. 


if     ■!■  I 


tions  to  procure  game.  Dr.  Fisher  gives  an  interostiu^, 
account  of  his  ten  days'  excursion  with  a  couple  of  men. 
The  deer  were  not  so  numerous  as  they  expected  to  find 
them.  About  thirty  were  seen,  of  which  his  party 
killed  but  two,  whicti  were  Very  lean,  weighing  only, 
when  skinned  and  cleaned,  50  to  60  lbs.  A  couple  of 
wolves  were  seen,  and  some  foxes,  with  a  sreat  many 
hares,  four  of  which  were  killed,  weighing  from  7  to  8 
lbs.  The  aquatic  birds  seen  were  — •  orent  rjeese,  king 
ducks,  long-tailed  ducks,  and  arctic  and  glaucous  gulls. 
The  land  birds  were  ptarmigans,  plovers,  sandenings 
and  snow  buntings.  The  geese  were  pretty  numerous 
for  the  first  few  days,  but  got  wild  and  wary  on  being 
disturbed,  keeping  in  the  middle  of  lakes  out  of  gun- 
shot. About  a  dozen  were,  however,  killed,  and  fifteen 
ptarmigans.  These  birds  are  represented  to  be  so  stu- 
pid, that  all  seen  may  be  shot.  Dr.  Fishoj*  was  sur- 
prised on  his  return  on  the  29th  of  June,  after  his  ten 
days'  absence,  to  find  how  much  vegetation  had  ad- 
vanced ;  the  land  being  now  completely  clear  of  snow, 
was  covered  with  the  purple-colored  saxifrage  in  blos- 
som, with  mosses,  and  with  sorrel,  and  the  grass  was 
two  to  three  inches  long.  The  men  were  sent  out  twice 
a  week  to  collect  the  sorrel,  and  in  a  few  minutes  enough 
could  be  procured  to  make  a  salad  for  dinner.  After 
being  mixed  with  vinegar  it  was  regularly  served  out 
to  the  men.  The  English  garden  seeds  that  had  been 
sown  got  on  but  slowly,  and  did  not  yield  any  produce 
in  time  to  be  used. 

On  the  30th  of  June  Wm.  Scott,  a  boatswain's  mate, 
who  had  been  afflicted  with  scurvy,  diarrhoea,  &c., 
died,  and  was  buried  on  the  2d  of  July  —  a  slab  ot 
sandstone  bearing  an  inscription  carved  by  Dr.  Fisher, 
being  erected  over  his  grave. 

From  observations  made  on  the  tide  during  two 
months,  it  appears  that  the  greatest  rise  and  fall  here 
is  four  feet  rour  inches.  A  large  pile  of  stones  was 
erected  on  the  14th  of  July,  upon  the  most  conspicuous 
bill,  containing  the  usual  notices,  coins,  &c.,  and  on  a 
large  stone  an  inscription  was  left,  uotitying  the  winter 
Ing  (.)i'  the  ships  here. 


/ 


mm 


pakry's  flrst  voyage. 


9u 


men. 
[)find 
party 
onlvj 
pie  of 
many 
7  to  8 
,,  king 

^lls. 
jrlings 
aeroufl 

being 
f  gun- 
fifteen 
80  stu- 
m  Bur- 
his  ten 
lad  ad- 
I  snoWj 
blop- 

s  was 
twice 

jnough 
After 

ed  ont 

i  been 

roduce 

mate, 
,,  &c., 
dab  ot 
I'isher, 

ftwo 
here 
»8  was 
licuoua 
on  a 
winter 


On  the  Ist  of  Augnst,  tiie  ships,  which  had  been  pre*, 
vion^ly  warped  out,  got  clear  ot  the  harbor,  and  found 
a  cliannel,  Doth  eastward  and  westward,  clear  of  ice, 
about  three  or  four  miles  in  breadth  alon^  the  land. 

On  the  6th  they  landed  on  the  islanu,  and  in  the 
course  of  the  night  killed  fourteen  hares  and  a  number 
of  glaucous  gulls,  which  were  found  with  their  young 
on  the  top  ot  a  precipitous,  insulated  rock. 

On  the  9th  the  voyagers  had  an  opportunity  of  ob- 
serving an  instance  of  the  violent  pressure  that  takes 
place  occasionally  b v  the  collision  of  heavy  ice.  "  Two 
pieces,"  suys  Dr.  Fisher,  "  that  happened  to  come  in 
contact  close  to  us,  pressed  so  forcibly  against  one  an- 
other that  one  of  them,  although  forty-two  feet  thick, 
and  at  least  three  times  that  in  length  and  breadth,  was 
forced  up  on  its  edge  on  the  top  of  another  piece  of  ice. 
But  even  this  is  nothing  when  compared  with  the  pres- 
sure that  must  have  existed  to  proouce  the  effects  that 
we  see  along  the  shore,  for  not  only  heaps  of  earth  and 
stones  several  tons  weight  are  forced  up,  but  hummocks 
of  ice,  from  fifty  to  sixty  feet  thick,  are  piled  up  on  the 
beach.  It  is  unnecessary  to  remark  that  a  ship,  although 
fortified  as  well  as  wood  and  iron  could  make  her,  would 
have  but  little  chance  of  withstanding  such  over- 
whelming force." 

This  day  a  musk-ox  was  shot,  which  weighed  more 
\han  700  lbs.;  the  carcass,  when  skinned  and  cleaned, 
yielding  421  lbs.  of  meat.  Tlie  flesh  did  not  taste  ao 
very  strong  of  musk  as  had  been  represented. 

'The  ships  made  but  slow  progress,  being  still  thickly 
!)cset  with  floes  of  ice,  40  or  60  feet  thick,  and  had  to 
make  fast  for  security  to  hummocks  of  ice  on  the  beach. 

On  the  15th  and  16th  they  were  off  the  southwest 
point  of  the  island,  but  a  survey  of  the  locality  fi'om 
the  precip'tous  cliff  of  Cape  Dundas,  presented  the 
same  interminable  ban-ier  of  ice,  as  far  as  the  eye  could 
reach.  A  bold  high  coast  was  sighted  to  the  sonthwest, 
to  which  the  name  of  Bank's  Land  was  given. 

Captain  PaiTy  states  that  on  the  23a  the  ships  re- 
ceived by  far  the  heaviest  shocks  they  had  experienced 


t 


lOO 


PBOOBESS   OF   ABCriO   DISCOVHIBT. 


i  r 


p  '■ 


during  the  voyage,  and  performed  six  miles  of  the  most 
^ifficmt  navigation  he  had  ever  known  among  ice. 

Two  musk  Dulls  were  shot  on  the  24th  by  parties  who 
landed,  out  of  a  herd  of  seven  which  were  seen.  They 
were  lighter  than  the  first  one  shot  —  weighing  only 
about  360  lbs.  From  the  number  of  skulls  and  skele- 
tons of  these  animals  met  with,  and  their  capabilities 
of  enduring  the  rigor  of  the  climate,  it  seems  probable 
that  they  £>  not  migrate  southward,  but  w\nter  on  this 
island. 

Attempts  were  BtUl  made  to  work  to  the  east\vard, 
but  on  the  25th,  from  want  of  wind,  and  the  closeness 
of  the  ice,  the  ships  were  obliged  to  make  fast  again, 
without  having  gamed  above  a  milo  after  several  hours* 
labor.  A  fresn  breeze  springing  up  on  the  26th  opened 
a  passage  along  shore,  and  the  ships  made  sail  to  the 
eastward,  and  in  the  evening  were  off  their  old  quarters 
in  Winter  Harbor.  On  the  following  evening,  after  a 
fine  run,  they  were  off  the  east  end  of  Melville  IsKnd. 
Lieut.  Parry,  this  day,  announced  to  the  officers  and 
crew  that  after  due  consideration  and  consultation,  it 
had  been  found  useless  to  prosecute  their  researches 
farther  westward,  and  therefore  endeavors  would  be 
made  in  a  more  southerly  direction,  failing  in  which, 
the  expedition  would  return  to  England.  Kegent  Inlet 
and  the  southern  shores  generally,  were  found  so  Mocked 
up  with  ice,  that  the  return  to  England  was  on  the  30th 
or  August  publicly  announced.  This  day.  Navy  Board 
and  Admiralty  Inlets  were  passed,  and  on  the  Ist  of 
September  the  vessels  got  clear  of  Barrow's  Strait,  and 
reached  Baffin's  Bay  on  the  6th.  They  fell  in  with  a 
whaler  belonging  to  Hull,  from  whom  they  learned  the 
news  of  the  deatn  of  George  the  Third  and  the  Duke 
of  Kent,  and  that  eleven  vessels  having  been  lost  in  the 
ice  last  year,  fears  were  entertained  for  their  safety. 
The  Friendship,  another  Hull  whaler,  informed  them 
that  in  company  with  the  Truelove,  she  had  looked  into 
Smith's  Sound  that  summer.  The  Alexander,  of  Aber- 
deen, one  of  the  ships  employed  on  the  former  voyage 
of  discovery  to  these  seas,  had  also  entered  Lancaster 


:.-T      r:i 


PARRY  S   8VCOND   VOYAGE. 


101 


Sound.  After  touching  at  Clyde's  River,  where  they 
met  a  good-natured  tribe  of  Esquimaux,  the  ships  maae 
tlie  best  of  their  way  across  the  Atlantic,  and  after  a 
somewhat  boisterous  passage,  Commodore  Parry  landed 
at  Peterhead  on  the  30th  of  October,  and,  accompanied 
by  Capt.  Sabine  and  Mr.  Hooper,  posted  to  Lonaon. 


Parry's  Sboond  Voyage,  1821—1828. 

The  experience  which  Capt.  Parry  had  formed  in  hii 
previous  voyage,  led  him  to  entertain  the  opinion  that 
a  communication  might  be  found  between  Regent  Inlet 
and  Roe's  Welcome,  or  through  Repulse  Bay,  and  thence 
to  the  northwestern  shores.  The  following  are  his  re- 
marks : — "  On  an  inspection  of  the  charts  I  think  it 
will  also  appear  probable  that  a  communication  will 
one  day  be  found  to  exist  between  this  inlet  (Prince 
Regent's)  and  Hudson's  Bav,  either  through  the  broad 
and  unexplored  channel  called  Sir  Thomas  Roe's  Wel- 
come, or  thr  jugh  Repulse  Bay,  which  has  not  yet  been 
satisfactorily  examined.  It  is  also  probable  that  a  chan- 
nel will  be  found  to  exist  between  the  western  land  and 
the  northern  coast  of  America."  Again,  in  another 
place,  he  says: — "Of  the  existence  of  a  northwest 

Sassage  to  the  Pacific  it  is  now  scarcely  possible  to 
oubt,  and  from  the  succesr  which  attended  our  efforts 
in  1819,  after  passing  th'  .ugh.  Sir  James  Lancaster's 
Sound,  we  were  not  imrea&onable  in  anticipating  its 
complete  accomplishment.  But  the  season  in  which  it 
is  practicable  to  navigate  the  Polar  Seas  does  not  exceed 
seven  weeks.  From  all  that  we  observed  it  seems  desir* 
able  that  ships  endeavoring  to  reach  the  Pacific  Ocean 
by  this  route  should  keep  if  possible  on  the  coast  of 
America,  and  the  lower  m  latitude  that  coast  may  be 
found,  the  more  favorable  will  it  prove  for  the  purpose ; 
hence  Cumberland  Strait,  Sir  Thomas  Roe's  Welcome, 
and  Repulse  Bay  appear  to  be  the  points  most  worthy 
of  attention.  I  cannot,  therefore,  but  consider  that  any 
expedition  equipped  by  Great  Britain  with  this  view 


VlCTOniA,  B.  Q 


-  !   A.  \ 


;i' 


;»,;■ 

l- 

\\ 

'  >' 

11' 

1 1 

it 


l(hi 


PBOUU))M   <yt  AKCrriO  UI8C0VKRT. 


oaglit  Ut  employ  ite  btesteneigles  in  atteinpting  to  pcne 
ti'ate  from  the  eastern  const  of  America  along  its  north- 
wn  shore.  In  consequence  of  the  partial  success  which 
has  hitherto  attendea  our  attempts,  the  wluilerrt  have 
ulroadv  extended  their  views,  ana  a  new  field  has  l)eon 
')pened  for  one  of  the  most  luciative  branches  of  our 
commerce,  and  what  is  scarcely  of  less  importance,  one 
of  the  most  valuable  nurseries  for  seamen  which  Great 
Britain  possesses."* 

Pleased  with  his  former  zeal  and  enteriMise,  and  in 
order  to  give  him  an  opportunity  of  testing  the  tinith 
of  his  observations,  a  few  months  after  he  returned  lionie, 
the  Admiralty  gave  Parry  the  command  of  another  ex- 
pedition, with  instructions  to  proceed  to  Hudson's  Strait, 
and  penetrate  to  the  westward,  until  in  Repulse  Bay, 
or  on  some  other  part  of  the  shores  of  Hudson's  Bay  to 
the  north  of  Wager  River,  he  sliould  reach  the  western 
coast  of  the  continent.  Failing  in  these  quarters,  ho 
was  to  keep  along  the  coast,  carefully  examining  every 
bend  or  mlet,  which  should  appear  likely  to  afford  a 
practicable  passage  to  the  westward. 

The  vessels  commissioned,  with  their  officers  and 
crews,  were  the  following.  Several  of  the  officers  of  the 
former  expedition  were  promoted,  and  those  who  had 
been  on  the  last  voyage  with  Parry  I  have  marked  with 
an  asterisk : — 


&  i-. 


Fury, 

Commander — ^*W.  E.  Pairy. 

Chaplain  and  Astronomer — Rev.  Geo.  Fisher,  (was 

in  the  Dorothea,  under  Capt.  Buchan,  in  1818.) 
Lieutenants  — *J.  Nias  and  *A.  Reid. 
Surgeon  — ^* J.  Edwards. 
Purser — ^*"W.  H.  Hooper. 
Assistant-Surgeon — J.  Skeoch. 
ifidsbipmen  — *  J.  0.  Ross,  *J.  Bnshnan,  J.  Ilendoi 

ion,  F.  R.  M.  Croder. 


•Pwny**  Pirrt  Voyage,  roL  ii,  jx  946L 


PAEKY^S   SKCCND   VOYAGE. 


103 


(was 


indoJ 


Greenland  Pilots — *J.  Allison,  master ;  G.  Crawfiird, 

mate. 
A7  Pottj  Officers,  Seamen,  &o. 

Total  complement,  60. 

Commander — G.  F.  Lvon. 

Lieutenants — *H.  P.  Hoppner  and  •O.  Palmer. 

Surgeon  — *A.  Fisher. 
Purser  —  J.  Germain. 
Assistant-Surgeon  —  A.  M'Laren. 
Midshipmen  — *W.  N.  Griffiths,  J.  Sherer,  0.  Rich- 
ards, E.  J.  Bird. 
Greenland  Pilots  — *G.  Fife,  master;  'A.  Elder,  mate. 
46  Petty  Officers,  seamen,  &c. 

Total  complement,  58. 

Lieutenant  Lyon,  the  second  in  command,  had  ob 
tamed  some  reputation  from  his  travels  in  Tripoli, 
Mourzouk,  and  other  parts  of  Northern  Africa,  and  was 
raised  to  the  rank  of  Commander,  on  his  appointment 
CO  the  Hecla,  and  received  his  promotion  as  Captain, 
ehen  the  expedition  returned. 

The  ships  were  accompanied  as  far  as  the  ice  by 
♦bo  Nautilus  transport,  freighted  with  provisions  and 
Atores,  which  were  to  be  transhipped  as  soon  as  room 
t^as  found  for  them. 

The  vessels  got  away  from  the  little  Nore  early  on 
*he  8th  of  May,  1821,  but  meeting  with  strong  gales 
off  the  Greenland  coast,  and  a  boisterous  passage,  did 
oot  fall  in  with  the  ice  until  the  middle  of  June. 

On  the  17th  of  June,  in  a  heavy  gale  from  the  south- 
ji^ard,  the  sea  stove  and  carried  away  one  of  the  quar- 
ter boats  of  the  Hecla.  On  the  following  day,  in  lat. 
60®  53'  N.,  lon^.  61®  39'  "W.,  they  made  the  pack  or 
main  body  of  ice,  having  many  large  bergs  in  and 
near  it.  On  the  19th,  Resolution  I^and,  at  the  en- 
trance of  Hudson's  Strait,  was  seen  distant  sixty-four 
miles.      Capt.  Lyon  states,  that  during  cne  of   the 


104 


pROGRbflS  OF  Aitrrrio  DnoovEBi. 


I<ii:: 


Ji.  .f  ;■  "■'.^ 


watches,  a  large  fragment  was  observed  to  fall  froii 
ail  iceberg  near  the  Heel  a,  which  threw  up  the  wafei 
to  a  great  height,  sending  forth  at  the  same  time  a 
noise  Tike  the  report  of  a  great  gun.  From  this  ])e- 
riod  to  the  Ist  of  July,  the  ships  were  occupied  in 
clearing  the  Nautilus  of  her  stores,  preparatory  to 
her  return  home,  occasionally  made  fast  to  a  berg,  or 
driven  out  to  sea  by  gales.  On  the  2d,  after  runnin^r 
through  heavy  ice,  they  again  made  Resolution  Island, 
and  shaping  their  course  for  the  Strait,  were  soon  in- 
troducea  to  the  company  of  some  unusually  large  ice- 
bergs. The  altitude  of  one  was  258  feet  above  the 
Buruice  of  the  sea;  its  total  height,  therefore,  allowing 
one-seventh  only  to  be  visible,  must  have  been  about 
1806  feetl  This  however,  is  supposing  the  base  un 
der  water  not  to  spread  beyond  the  mass  above  water 
The  vessels  had  scarcely  drifted  past  this  floating 
mountain,  when  the  eddy  tide  carried  them  with  great 
rapidity  among  a  cluster  of  eleven  bergs  of  huge 
size,  and  having  a  beautiful  diversity  of  lorm.  The 
largest  of  these  was  210  feet  above  the  water.  The 
floe  ice  was  running  wildly  at  the  rate  of  three  miles 
an  hour,  sweeping  the  vessels  past  the  bergs,  against 
any  one  of  which,  they  might  nave  received  incalcu- 
lable injury.  An  endeavor  was  made  to  make  the 
ships  fast  to  one  of  them,  (for  all  of  them  were  aground,) 
in  order  to  ride  out  the  tide,  but  it  proved  unsuccess- 
ful, and  the  Fury  had  much  difficulty  in  sending  a 
boat  for  some  men  who  were  on  a  small  berg,  making 
holes  for  her  ice  anchors.  They  were  therefore  swept 
past  and  soon  beset.  Fifty-four  icebergs  were  counted 
from  the  mast-head. 

On  the  dd,  they  made  some  progress  through  very 
heavy  floes ;  but  on  the  tide  turning,  the  loose  ice  flew 
together  with  such  rapidity  and  noise,  that  there  was 
barely  time  to  secure  the  ships  in  a  natural  dock,  bo- 
fore  the  two  streams  met,  ana  even  then  they  received 
some  heavy  shocks.  Water  was  procured  for  use 
from  the  pools  in  the  floe  to  which  the  ships  were 
made  fast;  and  this  being  the  first  time  of  doing  so, 


parbt'b  second  yotagb. 


lOfi 


afforded  great  amusement  to  the  novices,  who,  even 
when  it  was  their  period  of  rest,  preferred  pelting 
each  other  with  snow-balls,  to  goins  to  bed.  iiuifet 
ing  with  eddies,  strong  currents,  and  dangerous  bergs, 
they  were  kept  in  a  state  of  anxiety  and  danger,  for 
a  week  or  ten  days.  On  one  occasion,  with  the  pros- 
pect of  being  driven  on  shore,  the  pressure  they  ex- 
perienced was  so  great,  that  five  huv.c^ors,  six  inches 
thick,  were  carried  away,  and  the  best  bower  anchor 
of  the  Hecla  was  wrenched  from  the  bows,  and  broke 
off  at  the  head  of  the  shank,  with  as  much  ease  as  if, 
instead  of  weighing  upward  of  a  ton,  it  had  been  of 
crockery  ware.  For  a  week  they  were  embayed  by 
the  ice,  and  during  this  period  they  saw  three  strange 
ships,  also  besot,  under  Resolution  Island,  which  they 
contrived  to  join  on  the  16th  of  July,  making  fast  to 
a  floe  near  them.  They  proved  to  be  the  Hudson's  Bay 
Company's  traders.  Prince  of  Wales,  and  Eddystone, 
with  the  Lord  Wellington,  chartered  to  convey  160 
natives  of  Holland,  who  were  proceeding  to  settle  on 
Lord  Selkirk's  estate,  at  the  lied  Eiver.  "  While 
nearing  these  vessels,  (says  Lyon,)  we  observed  the 
settlors  waltzing  on  deck,  for  above  two  hours,  the 
men  in  old-fashioned  gray  jackets,  and  the  women 
wearing  long-eared  mob  caps,  like  those  used  by  the 
Swiss  peasants.  As  we  were  surrounded  by  ice,  and 
the  thermometer  was  at  the  freezing  point,  it  may  be 
supposed  that  this  ball,  al  vero  fresco,  afforded  us 
much  amusement.''  The  Hudson's  Bay  ships  had 
left  England  twenty  daye  after  the  expedition. 

The  emigrant  ship  had  been  hampered  nineteen 
days  among  the  ice  before  she  joined  the  others ; 
and  as  this  navigation  was  new  to  her  captain  and  crew, 
they  almost  despaired  of  ever  getting  to  their  jour- 
ney's end,  80  varied  and  coniitant  had  been  their  im- 
pediments. The  Dutchmen  ^ad,  however,  behaved 
very  philosophically  during  ibis  period,  and  seemed 
determined  on  being  merry,  n  spite  of  the  weather 
and  the  dangers.  Several  marriages  had  taken  place, 
the  surgeon,  who  was  accompanying  them  to  the  col- 


11^ 

■'y  i 
■I'  i 


ii 


lit;' 


1  .)!;■ 


>f:i 


I, 


If   '' 


>,^f, 


t^ 


lod 


I'ROGRICSS   OF   ARCTIC   DISCOVERT. 


ony,  officiating  as  clergyman,)  and  many  more  were 
in  agitation  ;  each  happy  couple  always  deferring  the 
ceremony  until  a  line  day  allowed  of  an  evening  ball, 
which  was  only  terminated  by  a  fresh  breeze,  or  a  fall 
of  snow.*  On  the  17th,  the  ships  were  separated  by 
the  ice,  and  they  saw  no  more  of  their  visitors.  On 
the  21st,  they  were  only  oft'  the  I  ower  Savage  Islands. 
In  the  evening  they  saw  a  very  large  bear  lying  on  a 
piece  of  ice,  an^^  two  boats  were  instantly  sent  off  in 
chase.  They  approached  very  close  before  he  took 
to  the  water,  when  ho  swam  rapidly,  and  made  long 
springs,  turning  boldly  to  face  his  pursuers.  It  was 
with  difficulty  lie  was  captured.  As  these  animals, 
although  very  fat  and  bulky,  sink  the  instant  they  die, 
he  was  lashod  to  a  boat,  and  brought  alongside  the 
ship.  On  h  oting  him  in,  they  were  astonished  to 
find  that  his  weight  exceeded  sixteen  hundred  pounds, 
being  one  of  the  largest  ever  killed.  Two  instances, 
only,  of  larger  bears  being  shot  are  recorded,  and 
these  wore  by  Barentz's  crew,  in  his  third  voyage,  at 
Cherie  Island,  to  which  they  gave  the  name  of  Bear 
Island.  The  two  bears  killed  then,  measured  twelve 
and  thirteen  feet,  while  this  one  only  measured  eight 
feet  eight  inches,  from  the  snout  to  the  insertion  of  the 
tail.  The  seamen  ate  the  flesh  without  experiencing 
any  of  those  baneful  effects  which  old  navigatoi*fl  at- 
tribute to  it,  and  which  are  stated  to  have  made  three 
of  Barentz  d  people  "  so  sick  that  we  expected  they 
would  have  died,  and  their  skins  peeled  off  fi'om 
head  to  foot."  Bruin  was  very  fat,  and  having  pro- 
cured a  tub  of  blubber  from  the  carcass,  it  was  thrown 
over  board,  and  the  smell  soon  attracted  a  couple 
of  walruses,  the  first  that  had  been  yet  seen. 

They  here  fell  in  with  a  numerous  body  of  the  Efl 
quimaux,  who  visited  them  from  the'  shore.  In  less 
than  an  hour  the  ships  were  beset  with  thirty  "  ka- 
vaks,"  or  men's  canoes,  and  five  of  the  women's  large 
Doats,  or  "oomiaks."  Some  of  the  latter  held  up- 
ward of  twenty  women.  A  most  noisy  but  merry 
barter  instantly  took  place,  the  crew  being  as  anxious 


i  1 


I'4JLJi\'8  BECOKD   VOYAGE. 


107 


CO  purcbase  Esquimaux  curiosities^  as  the  natives  were 
to  procure  iron  and  European  toys. 

•*  It  is  quite  out  of  my  power,  (observes  Captain 
Lyon,)  to  describe  the  shouts,  yells,  and  laughter  of 
tho  savages,  or  the  confusion  which  existed  for  two  or 
tliree  hours.  The  females  were  at  first  very  shy,  and 
unwillinff  to  come  on  the  ice,  but  bartered  every  thing 
from  their  boats.  This  timidity,  however,  soon  wore 
off,  and  they,  in  the  end,  became  as  noisy  and  bois- 
terous as  the  men."  "  It  is  scarcely  possible,  (he  adds) 
to  conceive  any  thing  more  ugly  or  disgusting  tlian 
tho  countenances  of  the  old  woipen,  who  had  inflamed 
eyes,  wrinkled  skin,  black  teeth,  and,  in  fact,  such  a 
forbidding  set  of  features  as  bcarcely  could  be  called 
human  ;  to  which  might  bo  added  their  dress,  which 
was  such  as  gave  them  the  appearance  of  aged  ourang- 
outangs.  Frobisher's  crow  may  be  pardoned  for  hav- 
ing, in  such  superstitious  times  as  a.  d.  1576,  taken 
one  of  these  ladies  for  a  witch,  of  whom  it  is  said, 
'  The  old  wretch  whom  cur  sailors  supposed  to  be  a 
witch,  had  her  buskins  pulled  off,  to  see  if  she  was 
cloven-footed ;  and  being  ve^-y  ugly  and  deformed,  we 
let  her  go.' " 

In  bartering  they  have  a  singular  custom  of  ratify- 
ing the  bargain,  by  licking  the  article  all  over  before 
it  is  put  away  in  security.  Captain  Lyon  says  he  fre- 
quently shuddered  at  seeing  the  children  draw  a  razor 
over  their  tongue,  as  unconcernedly  as  if  it  had  been 
an  ivory  paper-knife.  I  cannot  forbear  quoting  here 
Rome  humorous  passages  from  his  journal,  which  stand 
out  in  relief  to  the  scientific  and  nautical  parts  of  the 
narrative. 

"  The  sk'angers  were  so  well  pleased  in  our  society, 
that  they  showed  no  wish  to  leave  us,  and  when  the 
market  had  quite  ceased,  they  began  dancing  and 
playing  with  our.  people,  on  the  ice  alongside.  This 
exercise  set  many  of  their  noses  bleeding,  and  discov- 
ered to  us  a  most  nasty  custom,  which  accounted  for 
their  gory  faces,  and  which  was,  that  as  fast  as  the 
blood  ran  down,  they  scraped  it  with  the  fingerg 
7  8 


108 


PB00BBS6  OF  ABOTIO  DnOOYEfiT. 


into  their  mouths,  appearing  to  consider  it  as  a  re- 
freshment, or  dainty,  if  we  might  judge  by  the  zest 

with  which  they  smacked  their  lips  at  each  supply.'* 
•        «««         #»«* 

"  In  order  to  amuse  our  new  acquaintances  as  much 
as  possible,  the  fiddler  was  sent  on  the  ice,  where  ho 
instantly  found  a  most  delightful  set  of  dancers,  of 
whom  some  of  the  women  kept  pretty  good  time. 
Their  only  figure  consisted  in  stamping  and  jumping 
with  all  their  might.  Our  musician,  who  was  a  lively 
fellow,  soon  caught  the  infection,  and  began  cutting 
capers  also.  In  a  short  time  every  one  on  the  floe, 
ofticers,  men,  and  savages,  were  dancing  together,  and 
exhibited  one  of  the  most  extraordinary  sights  I  ever 
witnessed.  One  of  our  seamen,  of  a  fresh,  ruddy 
complexion,  excited  the  admiration  of  all  the  young 
females,  who  patted  his  face,  and  danced  around  him 
wherever  he  went. 

"  The  exertion  of  dancing  so  exhilarated  the  Esqui- 
maux, that  they  had  the  appearance  of  being  boister- 
ously drunk,  and  played  many  extraordinary  pranks. 
Among  others,  it  was  a  favorite  joke  to  run  slily  be- 
hind tne  seamen,  and  shouting  loudly  in  one  ear,  to 
give  them  at  the  same  time  a  very  smart  slap  on  the 
other.  While  looking  on,  I  was  sharply  saluted  in  this 
manner,  and,  of  course,  was  quite  startled,  to  the 
great  amusement  of  the  bystanders :  our  cook,  who 
was  a  most  active  and  unwearied  jumper,  became  so 
'  great  a  favorite,  that  every  one  boxed  his  ears  so 
soundly,  as  to  oblige  the  poor  man  to  retire  from  such 
boisterous  marks  of  approbation.  Among  other 
sports,  some  of  the  Esquimaux  rather  roughly,  but 
with  great  good  humor,  challenged  our  people  to 
wrestle.  One  man,  in  particular,  who  had  thrown  sev- 
eral of  his  countrymen,  attacked  an  officer  of  a  very 
strong  make,  but  the  poor  savage  was  instantly  thrown, 
and  with  no  very  easy  fall ;  yet,  although  every  one 
was  laughing  at  him,  he  bore  it  with  exemplary  good 
humor.  The  same  officer  affi^rded  us  much  diversion 
by  teaching  a  large  party  of  women  to  bow.courtesf 


■''ii'i'»T^b'ii 


PARUY*8  8E<J0ND    VOYAGE. 


100 


who 

le  80 

irs  so 

such 
other 
but 

)  to 
t^n  sev* 

very 
U'own, 
one 

good 

srsioii 
[rtesy 


shake  hands,  turn  their  toes  out,  and  perform  sun* 
dry  oVher  polite  accomplishments ;  the  whole  party 
master  and  pupils,  preserving  the  strictest  gravity. 

"  Toward  midnignt  all  our  men,  except  the  watch  on 
deck,  turned  in  to  their  beds,  and  the  fatigued  and 
hungry  Esquimaux  returned  to  their  boats  to  take  their 
supper,  which  consisted  of  lumps  of  raw  flesh  and  blub- 
ber of  seals,  birds,  entrails,  &c. ;  licking  their  lingers 
with  great  zest,  and  with  knives  or  fingers  scraping  the 
blood  and  grease  which  ran  down  their  chins  into  their 
mouths." 

Many  other  parties  of  the  natives  were  fallen  in  with 
during  the  slow  progress  of  the  ships,  between  Salisbury 
and  Isottingham  Islands,  who  were  equally  as  eager  to 
beg,  barter,  or  thieve  ;  and  the  mouth  was  the  general 
repository  of  most  of  the  treasures  they  received  ;  nee- 
dles, pins,  nails,  buttons,  beads,  and  other  small  etcete- 
ras, being  indiscriminately  stowed  there,  but  detracting 
in  nowise  from  their  volubility  of  speech.  On  tlie  13tli 
of  Auffust  the  weather  being  calm  and  fine,  norwhals  or 
sea-unicorns,  were  very  numerous  about  the  ^iiips,  and 
boats  were  sent,  but  without  success,  to  strike  one. 
There  were  sometimes  as  many  as  twenty  of  these 
beautiful  fish  in  a  shoal,  lifting  at  times  their  immense 
horn  above  the  water,  and  at  others  showing  their 
glossy  backs,  which  were  spotted  in  the  manner  of 
coach  dogs  in  England.  The  length  of  these  fish  is 
about  fifteen  feet,  exclusive  o,f  the  horn,  which  averages 
five  or  six  more. 

Captain  Parry  landed  and  slept  on  Southampton  Isl 
and.  His  boat's  crew  caught  m  holes  on  tho  beach 
Buflicient  sillocks,  or  young  coal-fish,  to  serve  for  two 
meals  for  the  whole  ship's  company.  During  the  niglit 
white  whales  were  seen  lying  in  hundreds  close  to  the 
rocks,  probably  feeding  on  the  sillockst  After  carefull  v 
examining  Duke  of  York  Bay,  tho  ships  got  into  tho 
Frozen  Strait  of  Middleton  on  the  mornmg  of  the  20tli, 
and  an  anxious  day  was  closed  by  passing  an  opening 
to  the  southward,  which  was  found  to  be  Sir  Thomas 
Boo's  Welcome,  and  heaving  to  for  the  night  off  a  bay 


no 


PBOORKSS   OP   ARCTIC  DISCOVERT. 


■till 


to  the  northwest.  The  ships  got  well  in  to  Bepnlse 
Bay  on  the  22d,  and  a  careful  examination  of  its  shores 
was  made  by  the  boats. 

Captains  Parry  and  Lyon,  with  several  officers  from 
each  ship,  landed  and  explored  the  northern  shores, 
while  a  boat  examined  the  head  of  the  bay.  llie  wa- 
ters of  a  long  cove  are  described  by  Captain  Lyon  as 
being  absolutely  hidden  by  the  quantities  of  young 
eider-ducks,  which,  under  the  direction  of  their  moth- 
ers, were  making  their  fii*st  essays  in  swimming. 

Captain  Lyon  with  a  boat's  crew  made  a  trip  of  a 
couple  of  days  along  some  of  the  indents  of  the  bay, 
and  discovered  an  inlet,  which,  however,  on  being  en- 
tered subsequently  by  the  ships,"  proved  only  to  be  the 
dividing  channel  between  an  island  and  the  main-land, 
about  SIX  miles  in  length  by  one  in  breadth.  Proceed- 
ing to  the  northward  by  llurd's  channel,  they  expe 
rienced  a  long  rolling  ground  swell  setting  against  them 
On  the  28th,  ascendmg  a  steep  mountam,  Captab* 
Lyon  discovered  a  noble  bay,  subsequently  named  Gor  i 
Bay,  in  which  lay  a  few  islands,  and  toward  this  the  » 
directed  their  course. 

Captain  Parry,  who  had  been  two  days  absent  wif  i 
boats  exploring  the  channel  and  shores  of  the  strait,  r'"- 
turned  on  the  29th,  but  set  off  ^ain  on  the  same  da  7 
with  six  boats  to  sound  and  examine  more  mimitel;'. 
When  Parry  returned  at  night,  Mr.  Griffiths,  of  tl  e 
llecla,  brought  on  board  a  Targe  doe,  which  he  ha.J 
killed  while  swimming  (among  large  masses  of  ice)  fro.  n 
isle  to  isle  ;  two  others  and  a  fawn  were  procured  (  n 
shore  by  tlie  Fury's  people.  The  game  laws,  as  tlik  y 
were  laid  down  on  the  former  voyage  while  winteris  o 
at  Melville  Island,  were  once  more  put  in  force.  Tlic  a 
"  enacted  that  for  the  purpose  of  econoujizing  the  slii,  "s 
provisions,  all  deer  or  musk-oxen  killed  should  uo 
served  out  in  lieu  of  the  usual  allowance  of  meat. 
Hares,  ducks,  and  other  birds  were  not  at  this  time  to 
be  included.  As  an  encouragement  to  sportsmen,  the 
head,  legs,  and  offal  of  the  larger  animals  were  to  be 
ttie  perquisites  of  those  who  procured  the  carcasses  foi 


'Lj<  KaiOn'irnwwiai 


pabry's  second  vofage. 


Ill 


pulse 
norea 

,  from 
hores, 
le  wa- 
ron  as 
jroung 
moth- 

p  of  a 
e  bay, 
ng  en- 
be  the 
n-land, 
roceed- 
'  expe 
t  them 
"laptab  i 
|d  Gor  ( 
is  the  I 

nt  wif  1 
ait,  r'"- 
ne  da  7 
untel" '. 
of  tfe 
e  ha.i 
e)  tVo.  n 
rod  c  n 
s  th*  y 
iteris  g 
The  a 
shi,  *s 
uld    uo 
meat, 
time  to 
[en,  the 
to  be 
}se6  fox 


the  general  good."  "  In  the  animals  of  this  day  (ob* 
Berves  Lyon)  we  were  convinced  that  our  sportsmen 
had  not  forgotten  the  latitude  to  which  their  perquisites 
might  legally  extend,  for  the  necks  were  made  so  long 
as  to  encroach  considerably  on  the  vertebrae  of  the 
back  ;  a  manner  of  amputating  the  heads  which  had 
been  learned  during  the  former  voyage,  and,  no  doubt 
would  be  strictly  acted  up  to  in  the  present  one." 

While  the  ships  on  the  30th  were  proceeding  through 
this  strait,  having  to  contend  with*  heavy  wind  and 
wild  ice,  which  with  an  impetuous  tide  ran  against  the 
rocks  with  loud  crashes,  at  the  rate  of  five  knots  in  the 
center  stream ;  four  boats  towing  astern  were  torn 
away  by  the  ice,  and,  with  the  men  in  them,  were  for 
some  time  in  great  danger.  The  vessels  anchored  for 
the  night  in  a  small  rook,  and  weighing  at  daylight 
on  the  Slst,  they  stood  to  the  eastward,  but  olore  Hay 
was  found  closely  packed  with  ice,  and  moM  of  the  in- 
lots  they  passed  were  also  beset. 

A  prevalence  of  fog,  northerly  wind,  and  heavy  ice 
in  floes  of  some  miles  in  circumference,  now  carried 
the  ships,  in  spite  of  constant  labor  asid  exertions,  in 
three  days,  back  to  the  very  spot  in  Foa's  Channel, 
where  a  month  ago  they  haa  comm'jnced  their  opera- 
tions. It  was  not  till  the  6th  of  September,  that  they 
could  again  get  forward,  and  then  by  ftne  of  the  usual 
changes  in  the  navigation  of  these  seaa,  the  ships  r£Cli 
well  to  the  northeast  unimpeded,  at  the  rate  of  six 
knots  an  hour,  anchoring  for  the  night  at  the  mouth  of 
a  large  opening,  which  was  named  Lyon  Inlet.  The 
next  day  they  proceeded  about  twenty-five  miles  up 
this  inlet,  which  appeared  to  bo  about  eight  miles  broad. 
C/aptain  Parry  pushed  on  with  two  boats  to  examine 
the  head  of  the  inlet,  taking  provisions  for  a  week. 
He  returned  on  the  14th,  having  failed  in  finding  any 
outlet  to  the  place  he  had  been  examining,  which  was 
very  extensive,  full  of  fiords  and  rapid  overfalls  of  the 
tide.  lie  had  procured  a  sufficiency  of  game  to  ftftbrd 
his  people  a  hot  supper  every  evening,  which,  after  the 
constant  labor  of  the  day,  was  highly  acceptable.     H« 


:ii:^ 


1^-:^ 


'm 


'iliil 


I  '1 ! 


112 


PKOGEE88  OF  AROTIO  DISCOVERT. 


fell  in  also  with  b  small  part^  of  natives  ^  ho  displayed 
the  nsnal  thieving  propensities. 

Animal  food  oi  all  kinds  was  fonnd  to  be  very  plen* 
tifhl  in  this  localitv.  A  fine  salmon  tront  was  brought 
down  by  one  of  the  ofiicers  from  a  lake  in  the  moun 
tains.  The  crew  of  the  Ilecla  killed  in  a  fortnight  four 
deer,  forty  hares,  eighty-two  ptarmigan,  fifty  ducks, 
three  divers,  three  foxes,  three  ravens,  four  seals,  er- 
mines, marmottes.  mice,  &c.  Two  of  the  seals  killed 
wore  immense  anmfials  of  the  bearded  species  {Phoca 
harbata,)  very  fat,  weighing  about  eight  or  nine  cwt.; 
the  others  were  the  common  species,  {P.  vitulina.) 

Captain  Parry  again  left  in  boats,  on  the  15th,  to  ex- 
amine more  carefally  the  land  that  had  been  passed  so 
rapidly  on  the  6th  and  6th.  Not  finding  him  return 
on  the  24th,  Captain  Lyon  ran  down  the  coast  to  meet 
him,  and  by  burning  blue  lights,  fell  in  with  him  at 
ten  that  night.  It  appeared  he  had  been  frozen  up 
for  two  days  on  the  second  evening  after  leaving. 
When  he  got  clear  he  ran  down  to,  and  sailed  round. 
Gore  Bay,  at  that  time  perfectly  clear  of  ice,  but  by 
the  next  moming  it  was  quite  filled  with  heavy  pieces, 
which  much  impeded  his  return.  Once  more  he  was 
frozen  up  m  a  small  bay,  where  he  was  detained  three 
days ;  wi^nn,  finding  there  was  no  chance  of  getting 
out,  in  consequehce  of  the  rapid  formation  of  young 
ic6,  by  ten  hours'  severe  labor,  the  boats  were  carried 
over  a  low  point  of  land,  a  mile  and  a  half  wide,  and 
once  more  launched. 

On  the  6th  of  October,  the  impediments  of  ice  con- 
tinuing to  increase,  being  met  witn  in  all  its  formations 
of  sludges  or  young  ice,  pancake  ice  and  bay  ice,  a 
small  open  buy  within  a  cape  of  land,  forming  the 
southeast  extremity  of  an  island  off  Lyon  Inlet,  was 
sounded,  and  being  found  to  be  safe  anchorage  the  ships 
were  brought  in,  and,  from  the  indications  which  were 
Betting  in,  it  was  finally  determined  to  secure  them  there 
for  the  winter ;  by  means  of  a  canal  half  a  mile  long, 
which  was  cut,  they  were  taken  further  into  the  b:  /. 
The  island  was  named  Winter  Isle.    . 

Preparations  were  now  made  for  oocnpation  and 


m. 


!;iiii 


il1y§iwW.<-i  l>»tjl.»ll»»il*lirft'W 


MMMH 


PARRY  8   SECOND   VOi'AGE. 


118 


;on- 

ions 

ie,  a 

the 

ras 

lips 

rere 

lero 

/• 


amusement,  so  as  to  pas  t  away  pleasantly  the  period 
of  detention.  A  good  stock  of  toeatrical  dresses  and 
properties  having  oeen  laid  in  by  the  officers  before 
leaving  England,  arrangements  were  made  for  perfonn- 
ing  plays  fortnightly,  as  on  their  last  winter  residence, 
as  a  means  of  amusing  the  seamen,  and  in  some  degree 
to  break  the  tedious  monotony  of  their  confinement.  As 
there  could  be  no  desire  or  hope  of  excelling,  every 
officer's  name  was  readily  entered  on  the  list  of  dra- 
matis  personcB^  Captain  Lyon  kindly  undertaking  the 
difficufi  office  of  manager.  Those  ladies  (says  Lyon^ 
who  had  cherished  the  growth  of  their  beards  ana 
whiskers,  as  a  defense  against  the  inclemency  of  the 
climate,  now  generously  agreed  to  do  away  with  such 
unfeminine  ornaments,  and  every  thing  bade  fair  for  a 
most  stylish  theater. 

As  a  curiosity,  I  may  here  put  on  record  the  play 
bill  for  the  evenmg.  I  have  added  the  ship  to  which 
each  officer  belonged. 

THEATER  RO^AL, 

WINTEB  I0LB. 


The  Public  are  respectfully  informed  tliat  this  little, 
yet  elegant  Theater,  will  open  for  the  season  on  Fri« 
day  next,  the  9th  of  November,  1821,  when  will  be 
performed  Sheridan's  celebrated  Oomedy  of 

THE  RIVALS. 

Sir  Anthony  Absolute    Oaptain  Parry,  (^Wy.) 
Captain  Absolute    -    -  Captain  Jjjon,LBeola») 
Sir  Litoius  0^  Trigger^    Mr.  Crozier,  {Fv/rv}) 
Faulkla/nd^   ...    -    lyfr.  J.  Edwards,  (rury.) 

AoreSy Mr.  J.  Henderson,  (Jwv.) 

Fay,     ---.-.    Lieut.  Uoppner,  (JUecla^ 
Davidj  •    -    •    -  ~  •    •  Lieut.  Reid,  {Fm'v^ 
Mrs.  Malaprop^     -    •    Mr.  C.  Richards,  {ITeola.) 

Julia  J Mr.  W.  H.  Hooper,  {Fury.) 

Lydia  Languish^  -    -    Mr.  J.  Sherer,  {Ifecla.) 
Lucy.     ...         -  'iA.v.W .'ilLog^icVkqf Heela^ 


lU 


PROGKESB   OF  AKGTIC   1>ISC0VKKT. 


Songs  by  Messrs.  C.  Palmer,  (Ilecla,)  and  J.  Hen- 
derson, will  be  introduced  in  the  course  of  the  eve- 
ning. 


i>  1 -ii' 


^ilill 


Uv  \' 


On  the  17th  of  December,  a  shiTering  set  of  actors 
performed  to  a  great-coated,  yet  very  cold  audience, 
the  comedy  of  the  "  Poor  Gentleman."  A  burst  of 
true  English  feeling  was  exhibited  during  the  perform 
ance  of  this  play.  In  the  scene  where  Lieut.  Worth- 
ington  and  Corporal  Foas  recount  in  so  animated  a 
manner  their  former  achievements,  advancing  at  the 
same  time,  and  huzzaing  for  "  Old  England,"  the 
whole  audience,  with  one  accord,  rose  and  gave  three 
most  hearty  cheers.  They  then  sat  down,  and  the 
play  continued  uninterrupted. 

On  Christmas  Eve,  in  order  to  keep  the  people 
quiet  and  sober,  two  farces  were  performed,  and  the 
phantasmagoria,  (which  had  been  kindly  presented 
anonymously  to  tne  ships  before  leaving,  by  a  lady,) 
exhibited,  so  that  the  night  passed  merrily  away. 

The  coldness  of  the  weather  proved  no  bar  to  the 
performance  of  a  play  at  the  appointed  time.  If  it 
amused  the  seamen,  the  purpose  was  answered,  but  it 
was  a  cruel  task  to  performers.  "  In  our  green-room, 
(says  Lyon,)  which  was  as  much  warmed  as  any  other 
part  of  the  Theater,  the  thermometer  stood  at  16°,  and 
on  a  table  which  was  placed  over  a  stove,  and  about 
six  inches  above  it,  the  coffee  froze  in  the  cups.  For 
my  sins,  I  was  obliged  to  be  dressed  in  the  height  of 
the  fashion,  as  Dick  Dowlas^  in  the  "  Heir  at  Law," 
and  went  through  the  last  scene  of  the  play  with 
two  of  my  fingers  frost-bitten  I  Let  those  who  have 
witnessed  and  admired  the  performances  of  a  Young, 
answer  if  he  could  possibly  ha  fe  stood  so  cold  a  recep- 
tion." 

Captain  Parry  also  states  in  his  Journal,  '^  Among 
the  recreations  which  afforded  the  highest  gratifica* 
tion  to  several  among  us,  I  may  mention  the  musical 
parties  we  were  enabled  to  muster,  and  whicfi  assem- 
bled on  stated  evenings  throughout  the  winter,  altd»* 


.11 


iiir|iro»HTri-iii:ii»>i|CTri»»n'«llJli»wiii 


pakky's  second  voyage. 


116 


room, 

other 

,ahd 

about 

For 

:htof 

aw," 

with 

have 

mng, 

fecep 

long 
tifica* 
isical 

jsem* 
laltor 


nately  in  '"bmmander  Lyon's  cabin,  and  in  my  osvn. 
More  skillful  amateurs  in  music  might  well  have  smiled 
at  these,  our  humble  concerts,  but  it  will  not  incline 
them  to  think  less  of  the  science  they  admire,  to  be 
assured  that,  in  these  remote  and  desolate  regions  of 
the  globe,  it  has  often  furnished  us  with  the  most 
pleasurable  sensations  which  our  situation  was  capable 
of  affording ;  for,  independently  of  the  mere  gratifica- 
tion afforded  to  the  ear  by  music,  there  is,  perhaps, 
scarcely  a  person  in  the  world  really  fond  of  it,  in 
whose  mind  its  sound  is  not  more  or  less  connected 
with  '  his  far  distant  home.'  There  are  always  some 
remembrances  which  render  them  inseparable,  and 
those  associations  are  not  to  be  despised,  which,  while 
we  are  engaged  in  the  performance  of  our  duty,  can 
still  occasionally  transport  us  into  the  social  circle  of 
our  friends  at  home,  in  spite  of  the  oceans  that  roll  be- 
tween us."  But  their  attention  was  not  confined  to 
mere  amusements.  Much  to  the  credit  of  the  seamen, 
an  application  was  made  in  each  ship  for  permission 
to  open  an  evening  school,  which  was  willingly  ac- 
ceded to.  Almost  every  man  could  read,  and  soma 
could  write  a  little,  but  several  found  that,  from  long 
disuse,  it  was  requisite  to  begin  asain. 

Mr.  Halse  volunteered  to  supermtend  the  classes  in 
theFury;  while  Benjamin  White,a  seaman,  who  had  been 
educated  at  Christ's  Hospital,  officiated  as  schoolmaster 
in  the  Hecla,  and  those  best  qualified  to  assist  aided 
in  the  instruction  of  their  shipmates,  who  made  rapid 

E regress  under  their  tuition.  On  Christmas  Day,  Capt. 
yon  states  that  he  received  sixteen  copies  from  men, 
who,  two  months  before,  scarcely  knew  their  letters. 
Tliese  little  specimens  were  all  well  written,  and  sent 
with  as  much  pride  as  if  the  writers  had  been  good 
little  schoolboys,  instead  of  stout  and  excellent  seamen. 
An  observatory  was  erected  on  shore,  for  carrying 
on  magnetical,  astronomical,  and  other  scientific  opera- 
tions. Foxes  were  very  plentiful  about  the  ships ;  fifteen 
were  caught  in  one  trap  in  four  hours  on  the  night  of 
the  25th  of  October,  and  above  one  hundred  were 


I 


! 


i 


n 


i  B' 


116 


PROQKESS   OF   ASCTIO  DISOOVBRT. 


either  trapped  or  killed  in  the  coiirfle  of  three  months, 
and  jet  there  seemed  but  little  diminution  in  their 
numbei-s.  Captain  Lyon  says  he  found  them  not  bad 
eating,  the  flesn  much  resembling  that  of  kid.  A  pack 
of  thirteen  wolves  came  occasionally  to  have  a  look  at 
the  ships,  and  on  one  occasion  broke  into  a  snow-house 
alongside,  and  walked  oif  with  a  couple  of  Esquimaux 
dogs  con^ned  there.  Bears  now  and  then  also  made 
their  appearance. 

A  very  beautifiil  ermine  walked  on  board  the  Hecla 
one  day,  and  was  caught  in  a  small  trap  placed  on  the 
deck,  certainly  the  first  of  these  animals  which  was 
ever  taken  alive  on  board  a  ship  400  yards  from  the 
land.  The  ravenous  propensities  of  even  some  of  the 
smallest  members  of  the  animal  kingdom  are  exempli- 
fied by  the  following  extract :  — 

"We  had  for  some  time  observed  that  in  the  fire- 
hole,  which  was  kept  open  in  the  ice  alongside,  a  count- 
less multitude  of  small  shrimps  were  constantly  rising 
near  the  surface,  and  we  soon  found  that  in  twenty-four 
hours  they  would  clean,  in  the  most  beautiful  manner, 
the  skeletons." 

After  attending  divine  service  on  Christmas  day,  the 
officers  and  crews  sat  down  to  the  luxury  of  joints  of 
English  roast  beef,  which  had  been  kept  untainted  by 
being  frozen,  and  the  outside  rubbed  with  salt.  Cran- 
berry pies  and  puddings,  of  every  shape  and  size,  with 
a  full  allowance  of  spirits,  followed,  and,  probably  the 
natural  attendance  of  headaches  succeeded,  for  the 
next  morning  it  was  deemed  expedient  to  send  all  th^ 
people  for  a  run  on  the  ice,  in  order  to  put  them  to 
rights  ;  but  thick  weather  coming  on,  it  became  neces- 
sary to  recall  them,  and,  postponing  the  dinner  hour. 
they  were  all  danced  sober  by  one  o'clock,  the  fiddler 
being,  fortunately,  quite  as  he  should  be.  During  this 
curious  ball,  a  witty  fellow  attended  as  an  old  cake 
woman,  with  lumps  of  frozen  snow  in  a  bucket ;  and 
such  was  the  demand  for  his  pies  on  this  occasion,  that 
he  was  obliged  to  replenish  pretty  frequentlv.  Th*» 
year  had  now  ^rawn  to  a  close,  and  all  enjoy  ft<^  excel- 


*MtinM>l 


PARBY8   SECOND   VOYAGE. 


U7 


aontba, 
1  their 
lot  bad 
A.  pack 
look  at 
v-house 
aimanz 

0  made 

3  Hecla 

1  on  tho 
ich  was 
rom  the 
B  of  the 
jxempli- 

the  fire- 
a  count- 
[y  rising 
inty-four 
manner, 

day,  the 
oints  of 
nted  by 
Cran- 
ze,  with 
bly  the 
for  the 
all  ths 
hem  to 
neceek 
hour, 
fiddler 
ng  this 
cake 
and 
ftu,  that 
Th*» 
excel- 


lent health,  and  were  blessed  with  good  spirits,  and  zea) 
for  the  renewal  of  their  arduous  exertions  in  the  sum- 
mer. 

No  signs  of  scurvy,  the  usual  pla^e  of  such  voy- 
ages, liaa  occurred,  and  by  the  plans  of  Captain  Parry, 
as  carried  out  on  the  former  voj^age,  a  snfficiency  of 
mustard  and  cress  was  raised  between  decks  to  anord 
all  hands  a  salad  once,  and  sometimes  twice  a  week. 
The  cold  now  became  intense.  Wine  froze  in  the  bot- 
tles. Port  was  congealed  into  thin  pink  lamioae,  which 
lay  loosely,  and  occupied  the  whole  length  of  the  bot- 
tle. "White  wine,  on  the  contrary,  froze  into  a  solid 
and  perfectly  transparent  mass,  resembling  amber. 

On  the  Ist  of  February  the  monotony  of  their  life 
was  varied  by  the  arrival  of  a  large  party  of  Esqui- 
maux, and  an  interchange  of  visits  thenceforward  took 
place  with  this  tribe,  wnich,  singularly  enough,  were 
proverbial  for  their  honesty.  Ultimately,  however, 
they  began  to  display  some  thievish  propensities,  for 
on  one  evening  in  March  a  most  shocking  theft  was 
committed,  which  was  no  less  than  the  last  piece  of 
English  corned  beef  from  the  midshipmcn^s  mess. 
Had  it  been  an  181b.  carronade,  or  even  one  of  the  an- 
chors, the  thieves  would  have  been  welcome  to  it ;  but 
to  purloin  English  beef  in  such  a  country  was  unpar- 
donable. 

On  the  16th  of  March  C;\  u  Lyon,  Lieutenant 
Palmer,  and  a  partv  of  men,  left  the  ship,  with  pro- 
visions, tents,  &c.,  in  a  large  sledge,  for  an  excui-sion 
of  three  or  four  days,  to  examine  the  land  in  the  neigh- 
borhood of  the  ships. 

The  first  night's  encampment  was  anything  but  com- 
fortable. Their  tent  they  found  so  cold,  that  it  was 
determined  to  make  a  cavern  in  the  snow  to  sleep  in  ; 
and  digging  this  aftbrded  so  good  an  opportunity  of 
warming  themselves,  that  the  only  she  /el  was  lent  from 
one  to  the  other  as  a  particular  favor.  After  digging 
it  of  sufiicient  size  to  contain  them  all  in  a  sitting  pos- 
ture, by  means  of  the  smoke  of  a  fire  they  managed  to 
raise  the  temperature  to  20°,  wd,  closing  the  entrarica 


118 


PKOGRKSS   OF   AROTIO    DISCOVERY. 


I  ; 


with  blocks  of  snow,  crept  into  their  blanket  bags  and 
tried  to  sleep,  with  the  pleasant  reflection  that  thoii 
roof  might  fall  in  and  bury  them  all,  and  that  their  one 
Buade  was  the  only  means  of  liberation  after  a  night's 
drift  of  snow. 

They  woke  next  morning  to  encounter  a  heavy  gale 
and  drift,  and  found  their  sledge  so  embedded  in  the 
snow  that  they  could  not  get  at  it,  and  in  the  attempt 
their  faces  ana  extremities  were  most  painfully  frost- 
bitten. The  thermometer  wajs  at  32°  below  zero  ;  they 
could  not,  moreover,  see  a  yard  of  the  road  ;  yet  to  re- 
main appeared  worse  than  to  go  forward  —  the  last 
f)lan  was,  therefore,  decided  on.  The  tent,  sledge,  and 
uggage  were  left  behind,  and  with  only  a  few  pounds 
of  bread,  a  little  rum,  and  a  spade,  the  party  again  set 
out ;  and  in  order  to  depict  their  suflerings,  I  must  take 
up  the  narrative  as  related  by  the  commander  himself : 

"Not  knowing  where  to  go,  we  wandered  among 
the  heavy  hummocks  of  ice,  and  suffering  from  cold, 
fatigue  and  anxiety,  were  soon  completely  bewildered. 
Several  of  our  party  now  be^an  to  exhibit  symptoms 
of  that  horrid  kind  of  insensibility  which  is  the  pre- 
lude to  sleep.  They  all  professed  extreme  willingness 
to  do  what  they  were  told  in  order  to  keep  in  exercise, 
but  none  obeyed  ;  on  the  contrary,  they  reeled  about 
like  drunken  men.  The  faces  of  several  were  severely 
frost-bitten,  and  some  had  for  a  considerable  time  lost 
sensation  in  their  fingers  and  toes  ;  yet  they  made  not 
the  slightest  exertion  to  rub  the  parts  affected,  and  even 
discontinued  their  general  custom  of  warming  each 
other  on  observing  a  discoloration  of  the  skin.  Mr. 
Palmer  employed  the  people  in  building  a  snow  wall, 
ostensibly  as  St  shelter  from  the  wind,  but  in  fact  to 
give  them  exercise,  when  standing  still  must  have 
proved  fatal  to  men  in  our  circumstances.  My  atten- 
tion was  exclusively  directed  to  Sergeant  Speckman, 
who,  having  been  repeatedly  warned  that  his  nose  was 
frozen,  had  paid  no  attention  to  it,  owing  to  the  state 
of  stupefaction  into  which  he  had  fallen.  The  frost< 
bite  had  now  extended  over  one  sid«>  of  his  face,  whic^i 


•i^rrrvmsmmifi 


^jy^gyisa 


FARRT's   fiF.CONl>   VOt-k.^B. 


119 


waa  frozen  as  hard  as  a  mask  ;  the  eyelids  were  stiff, 
and  one  comer  of  the  ijpper  lip  so  drawn  np  as  to 
oxpogo  the  teeth  and  gums.  My  hands  bein^  still 
wiiim,  I  had  the  happiness  of  restoring  the  circulation, 
Jitter  wtiich  I  used  all  my  endeavors  to  keep  the  poor 
fellow  in  motion  ;  but  he  complained  sadly  of  giddi- 
ness and  dimness  of  sight,  and  was  so  weak  as  to  be 
unable  to  walk  without  assistance.  His  case  was  so 
alarming,  that  I  expected  every  moment  he  would  lie 
down,  never  to  rise  again. 

"  Our  prospect  now  became  every  moment  more 
gloomy,  and  it  was  but  too  probable  that  four  of  our 
party  would  be  unable  to  survive  another  hour.  Mr. 
r aimer,  however,  endeavored,  as  well  as  myself,  to 
cheer  the  people  up,  but  it  was  a  faint  siHeinpt,  as  we 
had  not  a  single  hope  to  give  them,  i^ory  piece  of 
ice,  or  even  of  small  rock  or  stone,  was  now  supposed 
to  bo  the  ships,  and  we  had  great  difficulty  in  prevent- 
ing the  men  from  running  to  the  different  objects  which 
attracted  them,  and  consequently  losing  themselves  in 
the  drift.  In  this  state,  while  Mr.  Palmer  was  ninning 
round  us  to  warm  himself,  he  suddenly  pitched  on  a 
now  beaten  track,  and  as  exercise  was  indispensable, 
we  determined  on  following  it,  wherever  it  might  lead 
us.  Having  taken  the  Sergeant  under  my  coat,  he  re- 
covered a  little,  and  we  moved  onward,  when  to  our 
infinite  joy  we  found  that  the  path  led  to  the  ships." 

As  the  result  of  tliis  exposure,  one  man  had  two  of 
his  fingers  so  badly  frost-bitten  as  to  lose  a  good  deal 
of  the  flesh  of  the  upper  ends,  and  for  many  days  it 
was  feared  that  he  would  be  obliged  to  have  them  am- 
jnitated.  Quarter-master  Carr,  one  of  those  who  had 
l}een  the  most  .hardy  while  in  the  air,  fainted  twice  on 
getting  below,  and  every  one  had  severe  frost-bites  in 
different  parts  of  the  body,  which  recovered  after  the 
usnal  loss  of  skin  in  these  cases. 

One  of  the  Esquimaux  females,  by  name  Igloolik, 
who  plays  a  conspicuous  part  in  the  narrative,  was  a 
general  favorite,  being  possessed  of  a  large  fiind  of 
useful  information,  having  a  good  voice  and  ear  for 


120 


PROGRESS   OF    AKCTIO   DISCOVERT. 


'■'|i 


musiu,  being  an  excellent  seamstress,  and  having  snch 
n  good  idea  of  the  hydrogninjiy  and  bearings  of  the 


■  £'. 

■  1      ^' 

R''^ 

I;' 

ncighhoring  sea-coasts,  as  to  draw  charts  which  guided 
Parry  mnci  in  his  future  operations,  for  ho  foujid  her 
6ket(;l»08  to  be  in  the  main  correct.  She  connected  tlio 
land  from  their  winter  quarters  to  the  nortliwest  sea, 
rounding  and  terminating  tlie  noitheru  extremity  of 
tiiis  part  of  America,  by  a  hirgo  island,  and  a  strait  of 
suHicient  magnitude  to  aftbru  a  safe  passage  for  the 
ships.  Tills  little  northwest  passage,  observes  Lyon, 
set  us  all  castle-building,  and  wo  already  fancied  the 
worst  part  of  our  voyage  over  ;  or,  at  all  events,  that 
before  half  the  ensuing  summer  was  past,  wo  should 
arrive  at  Akkoolee,  the  Esquimaux  settlement  on  the 
western  shore.  Ilalf-way  between  that  coast  and  Ro 
pulse  Bay,  Igloolik  drew  on  her  chart  a  lake  of  consid- 
erable size,  having  small  streams  running  Irom  it  to 
the  sea,  on  each  side ;  and  the  correctness  of  this  infor- 
mation was  fully  proved  by  Eae  in  his  recent  expedi- 
tion in  1846. 

On  the  13th  of  April  their  Esquimaux  friends  took 
their  departure  tor  otner  quarters  ;  towards  the  end  of 
the  month  the  crews  completed  the  cutting  of  trenches 
round  the  vessels,  in  order  that  they  might  rise  to  their 
proper  bearings  previous  to  working  in  the  holds,  and 
the  ships  floated  like  corks  on  their  native  element, 
after  their  long  imprisonment  of  191  days.  As  the 
Feason  appeared  to  be  improving,  another  land  expedi- 
tion was  determined  on,  and  Captain  Lyon  and  Lieu- 
tenant Palmer,  attended  by  a  party  of  eight  men,  set 
oft'  on  the  8th  of  May,  taldng  with  them  twenty  days' 
pi'ovisions.  Each  mar  drew  on  a  sledge  126  Iba.,  and 
the  officers  95  lbs.  a  piece. 

"  Loaded  as  we  were,"  says  the  leader,  **it  was  with 
the  greatest  difficulty  we  made  our  way  among  and 
over  the  hummocks,  ourselves  and  sledges  taking  some 
vei'y  unpleasant  tu.ables.  It  required  two  and  a  half 
nours  to  cross  the  ice,  although  the  distance  was  not 
two  miles,  and  we  then  landea  on  a  small  island,  where 
yre  passed  the  n^'gW 


f  11  1    13:^: 


■>  mf'J'm-tv:!* 


PAKRY'8  SECOND  VOTAOB. 


m 


Several  islands  and  shoals  in  the  strait  wor^  naraed 
bird's  Isles.  At  noon  on  the  11th,  they  cAmned  at  the 
bead  of  a  line  bay,  to  which  the  nain^b  ot  i^iake  was 
given.  In  spite  of  all  the  care  which  had  been  taken 
by  using  crape  shades,  and  other  coven nge  fur  the  eyes, 
Jive  of  the  party  became  severely  afflicted  with  snow 
blindness.  Before  evening  two  of  the  sufferers  were 
quite  blinded  by  the  inflammation.  Their  faces,  eyes, 
and  even  heads,  being  much  swollei),  and  very  red. 
Bathing  would  have  afforded  relief,  but  the  sun  did  not 

f)roduce  a  drop  of  water,  and  their  stock  of  fuel  being 
imited,  they  could  only  spare  enough  wood  to  thaw 
snow  for  their  midday  uraught. 

As  the  morning  of  the  12th  brought  no  change  in  the 
invalids,  another  day  was  lost.  Toward  evening,  by 
breaking  pieces  of  ice,  and  placing  them  in  the  full 

§lare  of  the  sun,  suflicieut  water  was  obtained,  both  for 
rinking  and  for  the  sick  to  bathe  their  faces,  which 
afford  eel  them  amazing  relief,  and  on  the  morrow  they 
were  enabled  to  resume  their  journey.  At  noon  the 
sun  was  sufliciently  powerful  to  afford  the  ti'avelers  a 
draught  of  water,  without  having  to  thaw  it,  as  had 
hitherto  been  the  case. 

For  nearly  three  days  after  this,  they  were  imprisoned 
in  their  low  tent  by  a  snow-storm,  but  on  the  morning 
of  the  18th,  they  were  enabled  to  sally  out  to  stretch 
their  legs,  and  catch  a  glimpse  of  the  sun.  After  exam- 
ining many  bays  and  indentations  of  the  coast,  the  party 
returned  to  the  ships  on  the  evening  of  the  21st.  A 
canal  was  row  cut  through  the  ice,  to  get  the  ships  to 
the  open  water,  in  lengtli  2400  feet,  and  varying  in 
breadth  from  60  to  197  Set.  The  average  thickness  of 
the  ice  was  four  feet,  but  in  some  places  it  was  as  much 
as  twelve  feet.  This  truly  arduous  task  had  occupied  the 
crews  for  fifteen  days,  from  six  in  the  morning  to  eight 
in  tb  e  evening ;  but  they  labored  at  it  with  the  greatest 
spirit  and  good  humor,  and  it  was  concluded  on  tlie  18th 
of  June,  when  the  officers  and  men  began  to  take  leave 
of  their  several  haunts  and  promenades,  pai^ticularly 
the  "  garden  "  of  each  ship,  wiiich  had  become  favorite 


Ill 


11    ;lii:!', 


:\'\r> 


lil     M 


:!1   t 


I    Ml 


■'-I 


.122 


PROaRKSS  OF  AKOTIO  DISOOVBBT. 


lounges  during  their  nine  months'  detention.  Ai\  i 
ill-fated  bunting  came  near  enough  to  be  shot,  and  wee 
instantly  roasted  for  a  farewell  supper,  ard  bright  vis- 
ions of  active  exertions  on  the  water  on  the  morrow 
were  universally  entertained.  But  the  night  dispelled 
all  these  airy  castles,  for  with  the  mornings  dawn  they 
found  that  the  whole  body  of  ice  astern  of  the  ships 
had  broke  adrift,  filled  up  the  hard-wrought  canal,  and 
imprisoned  thepa  as  firm  as  ever. 

Death  now  for  the  first  time  visited  the  crews.  James 
Priiigle,  a  seaman  of  the  Hecla,  fell  from  the  mast-head 
lo  the  deck,  and  was  killed  on  the  18th  of  May.  Wm. 
Souter,  quarter-master,  and  John  Reid,  Carpenter's 
mate,  belonging  to  the  Fury,  died  on  the  26th  and  27th, 
of  natural  causes.  Toward  the  end  of  June,  the  sea 
began  to  clear  rapidly  to  the  eastward,  and  the  bay  ice 
soon  gave  way  as  far  as  where  the  ships  were  lying,  and 
on  the  2d  of  July  they  put  to  sea  with  a  fresh  breeze, 
after  having  been  frozen  in  for  267  days. 

In  making  their  way  to  the  northward,  they  were  fre- 
quently in  much  danger.  On  the  8d,  the  ice  came 
down  on  the  Hecla  with  such  force  as  to  carry  her  on 
board  the  Fury,  by  which  the  Hecla  broke  her  best  bower 
anchor,  and  cut  her  waist-boat  in  two.  On  the  4th,  the 
pressure  of  the  ice  was  so  great  as  to  break  the  Hecla 
'  adrift  from  three  hawsers.  Four  or  five  men  were  each 
on  separate  pieces  of  ice,  parted  from  the  ships  in  the 
endeavor  to  run  out  a  hawser.  A  heavy  pressure  closing 
tlio  loose  ice  unexpectedly  gave  them  a  road  on  board 
again,  or  they  must  have  been  carried  away  by  the 
stream  to  certain  djestruction.  On  the  8th,  the  Ilecla 
had  got  her  stream-cable  out,  in  addition  to  the  other 
hawsers,  and  made  fast  to  the  land  ice,  when  a  verv 
heavy  and  extensive  floe  took  the  ship  on  her  broad 
side,  and  being  backed  by  another  large  body  of  ice, 
gradually  lifted  her  stem  as  if  by  the  action  of  a  wedge. 

"  The  weight  every  moment  increasing,  obliged  us," 
says  Captain  Lyon,  "  to  veer  on  the  hawsers,  whose  fric- 
tion was  so  great  as  nearly  to  cut  through  the  bitt-heads, 
Hnd  ultimately  to  set  them  on  fire,  so  that  it  became 


iisii-  w- 


:i:fi;. 


1'. "'      i'  ^ 


.iV- 


PARRY  8   SECOND   VOYAGE. 


123 


3re  fre- 

[  came 

ler  on 

30wer 

h,  the 

Hecla 

eeach 

An  the 

losing 

board 

the 

lecla 

other 

very 

roaa 

ice, 

jdge. 

us;' 

tl'lC- 

3ad8, 
tamo 


requisite  for  people  to  attend  with  buckets  of  Mater. 
The  pressure  was  at  length  too  powerful  for  resistance, 
and  the  stream-cable,  with  two  six  and  one  live- inch 
hawsers,  all  gave  way  at  the  same  moment,  three  others 
soon  foUov/ing  them.  The  sea  was  too  full  of  ice  to 
allow  the  ship  to  drive,  and  the  only  way  in  which  bIio 
could  yield  to  the  enormous  weight  which  oppressed  lier, 
was  by  leaning  over  on  the  land  ice,  while  her  stem  Jit 
the  same  time  was  entirely  lifted  to  above  the  heiglit  of 
five  feet  out  of  the  water.  The  lower  deck  beams  now 
complained  very  much,  and  the  whole  frame  of  the 
ship  underwent  a  trial  which  would  have  proved  fat.'il 
to  any  less  strengthened  vessel.  At  the  same  moment, 
the  rudder  was  unhung  with  a  sudden  jerk,  wliich  broke 
up  the  rudder-case,  and  struck  the  driver-boom  with 
great  force." 

From  this  perilous  position  she  was  released  almost 
by  a  miracle,  and  the  rudder  re-hung. 

The  ships  a;  last  reached  the  island  which  had  been  so 
accurately  described  to  them  by  the  Esquimaux  lady  — 
Iglolik,  where  they  came  upon  an  encampment  of 
120  Esquimaux,  in  tents.  Captains  Parry  and  Lyon 
and  other  officers  made  frequent  exploring  excursions 
along  the  shores  of  the  Fury  and  Ilecla  sti-uit,  and  in- 
land. On  the  26th  of  August  the  ships  entered  this 
strait,  which  was  found  blocked  up  with  fiat  ice.  The 
season  had  also  now  assumed  so  wintry  an  aspect  that 
there  seemed  but  little  probability  of  getting  much  far- 
ther west :  knowing  of  no  harbor  to  protect  the  ships, 
unless  a  favorable  change  took  place,  they  had  the 
gloomy  prospect  before  them  of  wintering  in  or  near 
this  frozen  strait.  Boating  and  land  parties  were  dis- 
patched in  several  directions,  to  report  upon  the  difi'er- 
ent  localities. 

On  the  4th  of  September,  Captain  Lyon  landed  on 
un  island  of  slate  formation,  about  six  miles  to  the  west- 
ward of  the  ships,  which  he  named  Amherst  Island.  Tlie 
result  ©f  these  expeditions  proved  that  it  was  impracti- 
eiiijle,  either  by  boats  or  water  conveyance,  to  examine 
any  pjut  of  the  land  soutWest  of  Iglolik,  in  conse- 
quence of  the  ice.     • 


124 


PBOOJ£i<:ss  OF  ABcrno  dlbgovert. 


Id 


il  ii:i. 


Hi! 

m 

i 


§1' 


Mr.  Reid  and  a  hoat-party  traveled  about  sixty  milea 
to  the  westward  of  Amherst  Island,  and  ascertained  the 
termination  of  the  strait.  On  a  consultation  with  the 
officers,  Captain  Parry  determined  to  seek  a  berth  near 
to  Iglolik,  in  which  to  secure  the  ships  for  the  winter. 
They  had  now  been  sixty-five  days  struggling  to  get 
forward,  but  had  only  in  that  time  reached  forty  miles 
to  the  westward  of  Iglolik.  The  vessels  made  the  best 
of  their  way  to  the  natural  channel  between  this  island 
and  the  land,  but  were  for  some  time  drifted  with  the 
ice,  losing  several  anchors,  and  it  was  only  by  hard 
work  in  cutting  channels  that  they  were  brought  into 
safer  quarters,  near  the  land.  Some  fine  teams  of  dogs 
were  here  purchased  from  the  Esquimaux,  which  were 
found  very  serviceable  in  making  excursions  on  sledges. 

Their  second  Christmas  day  in  this  region  had  now 
arrived,  and  Lyon  informs  us  — 

"  Captain  Parry  dined  with  me,  and  was  treated  with 
a  superb  display  of  mustard  and  cress,  with  about  fifty 
onions,  rivaling  a  fine  needle  in  size,  which  I  had  reared 
in  boxes  round  my  cabin  stove.  All  our  messes  in 
either  ship  were  supplied  with  an  extra  pound  of  real 
English  fresh  beef,  which  had  been  hanging  at  our 
quarter  for  eighteen  months.  "We  could  not  afford  to 
leave  it  for  a  farther  trial  of  keeping,  but  I  have  no  doubt 
that  double  the  period  would  not  nave  quite  spoiled  its 
flavor." 

This  winter  proved  much  more  severe  than  the  for- 
mer. Additional  clothing  was  found  necessary.  The 
stove  funnels  collected  a  quantity  of  ice  within  them, 
notwithstanding  fires  were  kept  up  night  and  day,  so 
that  it  was  frequently  requisite  to  take  them  down  in 
order  to  break  and  melt  the  ice  out  of  them. 

Nothing  was  seen  ot  the  sun  for  forty-two  days. 

On  the  15th  of  A  pril,  Mr.  A.  Elder,  Greenland  mate 

of  the  necla,died  of  dropsy:  he  had  been  leading  man 

with  Parry  on  Ross's  voyage,  and  for  his  good  conduct 

Vas  made  mate  of  the  Griper,  on  the  last  expedition. 

On  the  6th  of  September,  1823,  Mr.  George  Fife,  the 
pilot,  also  died  of  scurvy. 


■1!'  ■' 


parry's  second  yotagb. 


125 


milea 
edthe 
;h  tliG 
1  near 
idnter. 
to  get 
miles 
le  best 
island 
th  the 
^  hard 
tit  into 
>f  dogs 
;h  were 
ledges. 
id  now 

ed  with 
)ut  fifty 
I  reared 
sses  in 
of  real 
at  our 
brd  to 
doubt 
iled  its 

16  for* 

Tho 

them, 

[ay,  so 

)wn  in 

matfi 
Ig  man 

induct 
lition. 
fe,  the 


f 


After  taking  a  review  of  their  provisions,  and  the 
robability  of  having  to  pass  a  third  winter  here,  Capt. 
arry  determined  to  send  the  Ilecla  home,  taking  from 
licr  all  the  provision  that  could  bo  spared.  Little  or 
no  hopes  could  be  entertained  of  anv  passage  being 
found  to  the  westward,  otherwise  than  by  the  strait  now 
60  firmly  closed  with  ice ;  but  Parry  trusted  that  8ome 
interesting  additions  might  be  made  to  the  geography 
of  these  dreaiy  regions,  by  attempting  a  passage  to  the 
northward  or  eastward,  in  hopes  of  finding  an  outlet  to 
Lancaster  Sound,  or  Prince  Regent's  Inlet. 

On  the  2l8t  of  April,  1823,  they  began  transshipping 
the  provisions ;  the  teams  of  dogs  being  found  most 
useful  for  this  purpose.  Even  two  anchors  of  22  cwt. 
each,  were  drawn  by  these  noble  animals  at  a  quick 
trot. 

Upon  admitting  daylight  at  the  stern  windows  of  the 
Ilec-la,  on  the  22d,  the  gloomy,  sooty  cabin  showed  to 
no  great  advantage  ;  no  less  than  ten  buckets  of  ice  were 
tiiken  from  the  sashes  and  out  of  the  stern  lockers,  from 
wliich  latter  some  spare  flannels  and  instruments  were 
only  liberated  by  chopping. 

On  the  7th  oi  June,  Captain  Lyon,  with  a  party  of 
men,  set  ofi*  across  the  Melville  Peninsula,  to  endeavor 
to  get  a  sight  of  the  western  sea,  of  which  they  had  re- 
ceived descriptive  accounts  from  the  natives,  but  ow- 
ing to  the  difliculties  of  traveling,  and  the  ranges  of 
mountains  they  met  with,  tboy  returned  unsuccessful, 
lifter  being  out  twenty  days.  Another  inland  trip  of  a 
foi'tnight  followed- 

On  the  1st  of  August,  the  Ilecla  was  reported  ready 
for  sea.  Some  symptoms  of  scurvy  having  again  made 
their  appearance  in  the  ships,  and  the  sui-geous  report- 
ing tluit  it  would  not  be  prudent  to  continue  longer, 
Cji])tain  Parry  reluctantly  a etermined  to  proceed  home 
with  both  ships.  After  being  319  days  in  their  winter 
quarters,  the  ships  got  away  on  the  9th  of  August. 

A  conspicuous  landmark,  with  dispatches,  was  sot 
up  on  the  main-land,  for  the  information  of  FriMiklin, 
shculd  he  reach  thig  ouarter. 


Sr?SS^" 


:!  M 


128 


PBOQBESS   OF^iROnO  DISOOYSBT. 


I  m 
l;:!  iili 


On  reaching  Winter  Island ;  and  visiting  their  la* 
year's  garden,  radishes,  mustard  and  cress,  and  onions 
were  brought  off,  which  had  survived  the  winter  and 
were  still  alive,  seventeen  months  from'  the  time  they 
were  planted,  a  very  remarkable  proof  of  their  having 
been  preserved  by  the  warm  coverina:  of  snow. 

The  ships,  during  the  whole  of  this  passage,  were 
driven  by  the  current  more  than  three  degrees,  entirely 
at  the  mercy  of  the  ice,  being  carried  into  every  bight, 
and  swept  over  each  point,  without  the  power  of  help- 
ing themselves. 

On  the  Ist  of  September,  they  were  driven  up  Lyon 
Inlet,  where  they  were  confined  high  up  till  the  Gtli, 
when  a  breeze  sprung  up,  which  took  tnem  down  to 
within  three  miles  of  Winter  Island  ;  still  it  was  not 
until  the  12th,  that  they  got  thoroughly  clear  of  the  in- 
draught. The  danger  and  suspense  of  these  twelve 
days  were  horrible,  and  Lyon  justly  observes,  that  he 
would  prefer  being  frozen  up  during  another  eleven 
months'  winter,  to  again  passing  so  anxious  a  period 
of  time. 

"  Ten  of  the  twelve  nights  were  passed  on  deck,  in 
expectation,  each  tide,  of  some  decided  change  in  oui 
affairs,  either  by  being  left  on  the  rocks,  or  grounding 
in  such  fllioal  water,  that  the  whole  body  of  the  ice  must 
have  slid  OFer  us.  But,  as  that  good  old  seaman  Baffin 
expresses  himself,  '  God,  who  is  greater  than  either  ice 
or  tide,  always  delivered  us ! ' " 

For  tliirty-hve  davs  the  ships  had  been  beset,  and  in 
that  peiiod  had  driven  with  the  ice  above  300  miles, 
without  any  exertion  on  their  part,  and  also  without  a 
possibility  of  extricating  themselves.  On  the  23d  of 
Bepteiuber,  they  once  more  got  into  the  swell  of  the 
Atlaaiic,  and  on  the  IGfch  of  October,  arrived  at  L&r- 
wick,  L-\  Shetland. 

Oi  4v  ftvivo's  Voyage  to  Spitzbebgbn  and  Gbben- 

LAND,   1823. 

In  18*2.^,  (?{vJjV.  \<abiLe,  R.  i.,  who  had  been  for  some 
tioTf*  vjiio-;igcs1  111  lub^actln  observations,  and  'Uso  ii» 


ii^L. 


.,■■.»■■   .^iiii^iiiM 


<IL.iVEEINQ*8   VOT-IQB. 


127 


dr  la* 
on  ion  a 
or  and 
10  thej^ 
having 

3,  were 
entirely 
r  bight, 
)f  help- 


ai 


Lyon 
e  6tli, 
own  to 
svas  not 
■  the  in- 
twelve 
that  he 
eleven 
-  period 

leek,  in 
in  oui 

[unding 
!e  must 
Baffin 

Iher  ice 

land  in 
miles, 

bhoiit  a 
}3dof 

I  of  the 

it  Ler- 


some 
ISO  ii) 


experiments  to  determine  the  configuration  of  the  eartli, 
by  meansofpeudulum  vibrations  m  diflferent  latitudes, 
having  perfected  his  observations  at  different  points, 
from  tlie  Equator  to  the  Arctic  Circle,  suggested  to  the 
Royal  Society,  through  Sir  Humphry  Davy,  the  impor- 
tance of  extending  similar  experiments  into  higher  lat- 
itudes toward  the  I^ole.  Accordingly,  the  government 
placed  at  his  disposal  H.  M.  S.  Griper,  120  tons.  Com- 
mander Clavering,  which  was  to  convey  him  to  Spitz- 
bergen,  and  thence  to  the  east  coast  of  Greenland: 

liie  Griper  sailed  from  the  Nore,  on  the  11th  of  May, 
and  proceeded  to  Hammerfest,  or  Whale  Island,  near 
the  Korth  Cape,  in  Norway,  which  she  reached  on  the 
4:th  of  June,  and  Capt.  Sabine  having  finished  his  shore 
observations  by  the  23d,  the  vessel  set  sail  for  Spitzber- 
gen.  She  fell  in  with  ice  off"  Cherry  Island,  in  lat.  75° 
5',  on  the  27th,  and  on  the  30th  disembarked  the  tents 
and  instruments  on  one  of  the  small  islands  round 
Hakluyt's  Headland,  near  the  eightieth  parallel.  Capt. 
Clavering,  meanwhile,  sailed  in  the  Griper  due  north, 
and  reached  the  latitude  of  80°  20',  where  being  stop* 
ped  by  close  packed  ice,  he  was  obliged  to  return. 

On  the  24:tn  of  July,  they  again  put  to  sea,  directing 
their  course  for  the  highest  known  point  of  the  eastern 
coast  of  Greenland.  They  met  with  many  fields  of  ice, 
and  made  the  land,  which  had  a  most  miserable,  deso* 
late  appearance,  at  a  point  which  was  named  Cape  Bor- 
lase  warren.  Two  islands  were  discovered,  and  as 
Capt.  Sabine  here  landed  and  carried  on  his  observa- 
tions, they  were  called  Pendulum  Islands.  From  an 
island  situate  in  lat.  75°  12',  to  which  he  gave  the  name 
of  Shannon  Island,  Clavering  saw  high  land,  stretch- 
ing due  north  as  far  as  lat.  76°. 

On  the  16th  of  August,  Clavering  landed  with  a 
party  of  three  ofiScers,  and  sixteen  men  on  the  main- 
land, to  examine  the  shores.  The  temperature  did  not 
Bink  below  23°,  and  they  slept  for  nearly  a  fortnight 
they  were  on  shore  with  only  a  boat-cloak  and  blanket 
for  a  covering,  without  feelin^  any  inconvenience  from 
the  cold.    A  tribe  of  twelve  E]squimaux  was  met  with 


"■■  ill' 


I   Mil; 


''%■ 


128 


PB00REB8  OF  ABCnO  DISOOrEBT. 


here.  They  reached  in  their  journey  a  magniticenl 
inlet,  about  fifty  miles  in  circumference,  which  was  sup 
posed  to  be  the  same-  which  Gale  Ilamkcs  discovered 
m  1654,  and  which  bears  his  name.  The  mountains 
round  its  sides  were  4000  to  5000  feet  high.  On  the 
29th  of  August,  they  returned  on  board,  and  having 
embarked  the  tents  and  instruments,  the  ship  again  set 
sail  on  the  Slst,  keeping  the  coast  in  view  to  Cape 
Parry,  lat.  72 i°.  The  cliffs  were  observed  to  be  sev- 
eral thousand  feet  high.  On  the  13th  of  September, 
as  the  ice  in  shore  began  to  get  very  troublesome,  the 
ship  stood  out  to  sea,  and  after  encountering  a  very 
heavy  gale,  which  drove  them  with  great  fury  to  the 
southward,  and  it  not  being  thought  pi-udent  to  make 
for  Ireland,  a  station  in  about  the  same  latitude  on  the 
Norway  coast  was  chosen  instead  by  Capt.  Sabine. 
They  made  the  land  about  the  latitude  ot  Christian- 
sound.  On  the  Ist  of  October,  the  Griper  struck  hard 
on  a  sunken  rock,  but  got  off  undamaged. 

On  the  6th,  they  anchored  in  Drontheim  Fi(.>rd, 
where  they  were  received  with  much  kindness  and  hos- 
pitality, and  after  the  necessary  observations  had  been 
completed  the  ship  proceeded  homeward,  and  reached 
Deptford  on  the  19tn  of  December,  1823. 

Lyon's  Voyaob  in  the  Griper. 

In  1824,  three  expeditions  were  ordered  out,  to  carr^ 
on  simultaneous  operations  in  Arctic  discovery.  To 
Capt.  Lyon  was  committed  the  task  of  examining  and 
completing  the  survey  of  the  Melville  Peninsula,  the 
adjoining  straits,  and  the  shores  of  Arctic  America,  if 
possible  as  far  as  Franklin's  turning  point.  Capt.  Lyon 
was  therefore  gazetted  to  the  Griper  gun-brig,  which 
had  taken  out  Capt.  Sabine  to  Spitzbergen,  in  the  pre- 
vious year.  The  following  officers  and  ciow  were  alao 
appointed  to  her  : — 

Griper, 

Oaptain  —  G.  F.  Lyon. 

Lieutenants— P.  Manico  and  F.  Harding. 


V.iajWv-»'*«>**W 


lyon'b  voyage. 


130 


lagniticenl 
3h  was  sup 
discovered 
mountaina 
1.  On  the 
md  having 
ip  again  set 
w  to  Cape 

to  he  sev- 
Septeraher, 
lesome,  the 
ring  a  very 

fury  to  the 
ent  to  make 
itude  on  the 
apt.  Sahine. 
)t  Christian- 
-  struck  hard 

heim  Fiord, 

less  and  hos- 

us  had  been 

nd  reached 


out,  to  carry 
jcovery.  To 
mining  and 
kninsuUa,  tlie 
I  America,  it' 
Oapt.  Lyon 
-brig,  which 
I,  in  the  pre- 
Lw  were  also 


Lrding. 


ADBistant-Survejor — E.  N.  KendaL 
Purser — J.Evans. 
Assistant-Surgeon  —  W.  LeyeoxL 
Midshipman  —  J.  Tom. 
34  Petty  Officers,  Seamen,  &c 
Total  complement,  41. 

It  was  not  till  the  20th  of  June,  that  the  Grijer  eot 
kway  from  England,  being  a  full  month  later  than  Bio 
usual  period  of  departure,  and  the  vessel  was  at  the 
best  but  an  old  tub  m  her  sailing  propensities.  A  small 
tender,  called  the  Snap^  was  ordered  to  accompany  her 
with  stores,  as  far  as  the  ice,  and  having  been  relieved 
of  her  supplies,  she  was  sent  home  on  reaching  Hud- 
son's Straits. 

The  Griper  made  but  slow  progress  in  her  deeply  la- 
den state,  her  crowded  decks  being  continually  6wej)t 
by  heavy  seas,  and  it  was  not  until  the  end  of  August, 
that  she  rounded  the  southern  head  of  Soutliampton 
Island,  and  stood  up  toward  Sir  Thomas  Koe's  Wei 
come.  On  reaching  the  entrance  of  this  channel  they 
encountered  a  terrific  gale,  which  for  a  long  time 
threatened  the  destruction  of  both  ship  and  crew. 
Drifting  witli  this,  they  brought  up  the  ship  wnth  four 
anchoi's,  in  a  bay  with  five  fathoms  and  a  half  water, 
in  the  momentary  expectation  that  with  the  ebb  tide 
the  ship  would  take  the  ground,  as  the  sea  broke  fear- 
fully on  a  low  sandy  beach  just  astern,  and  had  the  an- 
chors parted,  nothing  could  have  saved  the  vessel. 
Neither  commander  nor  crew  had  been  in  bed  for  three 
nights,  ind  although  little  hope  was  entertained  of  sur- 
viving the  gale,  and  no  boat  could  live  in  such  a  sea, 
the  oflficers  and  crew  perfonned  their  several  duties 
with  their  accustomed  coolness.  Each  man  was  or- 
dered to  put  on  his  warmest  clothing,  and  to  take  charge 
of  some  useful  instrument.  The  scene  is  best  described 
in  the  words  of  the  gallant  commander  : — 

"Each,  therefore,  brought  his  bag  on  deck,  and 
dressed  himself;  and  in  tlie  fine  atldetic  forms  which 
stood  exposed  before  me,  I  did  not  see  one  muscle  qui- 


130 


PE0QRES8   OF    A.ROTIC  DISCOVERY. 


li 


'  ii'  i  -i' 


^'m 


■'M 


ver,  nor  the  slightest  sign  of  alarm.  Prayers  were  read, 
and  thev  then  all  sat  down  in  groups,  slieltered  from  the 
wash  ot  the  sea  by  whatever  they  could  find,  and  some 
endeavored  to  obtain  a  little  sleep.  Never,  perhaps 
was  witnessed  a  finer  scene  than  on  the  deck  of  m^ 
little  ship,  when  all  hope  of  life  had  left  us.  Noble  as 
the  character  of  the  British  sailor  is  always  allowed  to 
be  in  cases  of  danger,  yet  I  did  not  believe  it  to  be  pos- 
sible that  among  forty-one  persons  not  one  repining 
word  should  have  been  uttered.  Each  was  at  peace 
with  his  neighbor  and  all  the  world  ;  and  I  am  firmly 
persuaded  that  the  resignation  which  was  then  shown 
to  the  will  of  the  Almiguty,  was  the  means  of  obtain- 
mg  His  mercy.  God  was  merciful  to  us,  and  the  tide, 
almost  miraculously,  fell  no  lower."  The  appropriate 
name  of  the  Bay  of  God's  Mercy  has  been  given  to 
this  ^pot  on  the  charts  by  Captain  Lyon. 

Proceeding  onward  up  the  Welcome,  they  encoun- 
tered, about  a  fortnight  kter,  another  fearful  storm. 
On  the  12th  of  September,  when  off  the  entrance  of 
Wager  Inlet,  it  blew  so  hard  for  two  days,  that  on  the 
I3th  the  ship  was  driven  from  her  anchors,  and  carried 
away  by  the  fury  of  the  gale,  with  every  prospect  of  • 
being  momentarily  dashed  to  pieces  against  any  hid- 
den rock ;  but  the  same  good  Providence  which  had 
fio  recently  befriended  them,  again  stood  their  protec- 
tor. On  consulting  with  his  officers,  it  was  unani- 
mously resolved,  that  in  the  crippled  state  of  the  ship, 
without  any  anchor,  and  with  her  compasses  worse 
than  useless,  it  would  be  madness  to  continue  the  voy- 
age, and  the  ship's  course  was  therefore  shaped  for 
England. 

I  may  observe,  that  the  old  Griper  is  now  laid  up  as 
a  hulk  in  Chichester  Harbor,  furnishing  a  residence 
and  depot  for  the  coast  guard  station. 

Fabry's  Third  Voyage. 

In  the  spring  of  1824  the  Admiralty  determined  to 
%\\e  Capt.  Parry  another  opportunity  of  carrying  or  I 


^^iflaswat*.*.  Ti  tmSitfrnMH^Vi  inw<wi*aainifa- 


parry's  third   V0T1.0B. 


181 


re  rcad^ 

Tom  the 
nd  some 
perhaps 
i.  of  mj 
!^oble  as 
owed  to 
3  be  pos- 
repining 
at  peace 
n  iirmly 
sii  Bhown 
f  obtain- 
the  tide, 
propriate 
given  to 

'  encoun- 
iil  storm, 
trance  of 
at  on  tho 
carried 
ispect  of  * 
any  bid- 
icb  bad 
r  protec- 
,8  unani- 
|tbe  ship, 
»B  worse 
the  voy- 
,ped  for 

Lid  up  as 
lesidence 


lined  to 
ring  ov\ 


the  great  problem  which  had  so  long  been  Bought  af- 
ter, of  a  northwest  passage  to  the  Pacific,  and  so  gen- 
erally esteemed  was  this  gallant  commander  that  he 
had  but  to  hoist  Lis  pennant,  when  fearless  of  all  dan 
ger,  and  in  a  noble  spirit  of  emulation,  his  former  aa- 
aociates  rallied  around  him. 

The  same  two  ships  were  employed  as  before,  bui 
Parry  now  selected  the  Hecla  for  his  pennant.  The 
•taff  of  officers  and  men  was  as  follows :  — 

JSecla, 

Captain  — W.  E.  Parry. 

Lieutenants  —  J.   L.    Wynn,  Joseph  Sherer,  and 

Henry  Foster. 
Surgeon  —  Samuel  Neill,  M.  D. 
Purser — W.  H.  Hooper. 
Assistant  Surgeon  —  W.  Rowland. 
Midshipmen  —  J.   BruLton,  F.   R.  M.  Orozier,  0. 

Richards,  and  H  N.  Head. 
Greenland    Pilots  —  J.  Allison,  master;    and  G. 

Champion,  mate. 
49  Petty  Officers,  Seamen,  and  Marines. 
Total  complement,  62. 

Fury, 

Commander  —  H.  P.  Hoppner. 

Lieutenants  —  H.  T.  Austin  and  J.  0.  BoMi 

Surgeon — A.  M'Laren. 

Purser — J.  Halse. 

Assistant  Surgeon  —  T.  Bell, 

Midshipmen  —  B.  Westropp,  0.  0.  Waller,  and  £. 

Bird. 
Clerk  —  "W.  Mogg. 
Greenland  Pilots  —  G.  Crawford,  master;  T.  Don 

aldson,  mate. 
48  Petty  Officers,  Seamen,  and  Marines. 
Total  complement,  60. 

The  William  Harris,  transport,  was  commissioned 
k)  accompany  the  ships  to  the  ice  with   provisions. 


-fi 


182 


PROGRESS   OF    AUCTIJ   DISCOVERT. 


I'i'  i 


:i^ 


■i 


i'y. 


VI 


Amon^  the  promotions  inado,  it  will  bo  Been,  were 
Liont.  iloppnor  to  the  rank  of  Commander,  and  second 
in  command  of  the  expedition.  Messrs.  J.  Sherer, 
and  J.  C.  lloss  to  bo  Lieutenants,  and  J.  liaise  to  be 
Purser.  The  attempt  on  this  occasion  was  to  be  made 
by  Lancaster  Sound  through  Barrow's  Strait  to  Prince 
Regent  Inlet.  Tiie  ships  sailed  on  the  19th  of  May, 
1824,  and  a  month  afk<irward  fell  in  with  the  body  of 
the  ice  in  lat.  601°.  After  transhipping  the  stores  to 
the  two  vessels,  and  sending  homo  tue  transport,  about 
the  middle  of  July  tbey  were  close  beset  with  the  ice 
in  Baffin's  Bay,  and  "from  this  time  (says  Parry)  the 
obstructions  from  the  quantity,  magnitude,  and  close- 
ness of  the  ice,  which  were  such  as  to  keep  our  people 
almost  constantly  employed  in  heaving,  warping,  or 
sawing  through  it;  and  yet  with  so  little  success  that, 
at  the  close  of  July,  we  had  only  penetrated  sevenry 
miles  to  the  westward."  After  encountering  a  severe 
gale  on  the  Ist  of  August,  by  which  masses  of  overlay- 
ing ice  were  driven  one  upon  the  other,  the  Ilecla  was 
laia  on  her  broadside  by  a  strain,  which  Parry  says 
must  inevitably  have  crushed  a  vessel  of  ordinary 
strength ;  they  got  clear  of  the  chief  obstructions  b^ 
the  first  week  in  September,  During  the  whole  vi 
August  they  had  not  one  day  sufficiently  free  from 
rain,  snow,  or  sleet,  to  be  able  to  air  the  bedding  of 
the  ship's  company. 

They  entered  Lancaster  Sound  oil  the  10th  of  Sep- 
tember, and  with  the  exception  of  a  solitary  berg  or 
two  found  it  clear  of  ice.  A  few  days  after,  however, 
they  fell  in  with  the  young  ice,  which  increasing  daily 
in  thickness,  tlie  ships  became  beset,  and  by  the  cur- 
rent wliich  set  to  the  east  at  the  rate  of  three  miles  an 
hour,  they  were  soon  drifted  back  to  the  eastward  of 
Admiralty  Inlet,  and  on  the  23d  they  found  them 
selves  again  off  Wollaston  Island,  at  the  eu*;rance  of 
Navy  Board  Inlet.  By  perseverance,  however,  and  the 
aid  of  a  strong  easterly  breeze,  they  once  more  man- 
aged to  recover  their  lost  ground,  and  on  the  27tb 
•*eached  the  entrance  of  Port  Bo  wen  cu  the  eastern 


\: 


IJ 


igig».«tf>rii^s.itimiii^m\^iinmMk*^ 


PARRY  6   TUIliP    VOYAOB. 


18S 


were 

jcond 
aeror, 
to  be 
made 
'rince 
May, 
)dy  of 
:)rcs  to 
,  about 
the  ico 
vy)  the 
close- 
people 
ing,  or 
ss  that, 
ieveiiT.}' 
I  severe 
)verlay- 
jcla  was 
ry  says 
rdiuary 
ions  b^ 
lolfc  oi 
e  from 
ing  of 


man- 
^e  27tb 
^aBtem 


shore  of  Prince  Kegent  Inlet,  and  here  Parry  rosoivod 
upon  wintering;  this  making  the  fourth  winter  this 
enterprising  commander  had  passed  in  these  inhospi* 
table  seas. 

Tlio  usual  laborious  process  of  cutting  canals  had  to 
be  resorted  to,  in  order  to  get  the  ships  near  to  the 
shore  in  secure  and  sheltered  situations.  Parry  thus 
describes  the  dreary  monotonous  character  of  an  arctic 
winter :  — 

"It  is  hard  to  conceive  any  one  thing  more  like 
another  than  two  winters  passed  in  the  higher  latitudes 
of  the  polar  regions,  except  when  variety  happens  to 
be  altbrdcd  by  mtorfourse  with  seme  other  branch  of 
the  whole  family  vt  man.  Winter  after  winter,  nature 
here  assumes  an  aspect  so  much  alike,  that  cursory  o\y 
servation  can  scarcely  detect  a  single  feature  of  variety. 
The  winter  of  more  temj)erate  climates,  and  even  in 
some  of  no  slight  severity,  is  occasionally  diversified 
by  a  thaw,  which  at  once  gives  variety  and  compara- 
tive cheerfulness  to  the  prospect.  But  here,  when  oneo 
the  earth  is  covered,  all  is  dreary  monotonous  white- 
ness, not  merely  for  days  or  weeks,  but  for  more  than 
half  a  year  together.  Whichever  way  the  eye  is  turn- 
ed, it  meets  a  picture  calculated  to  impress  upon  the 
mind  an  idea  of  inanimate  stillness,  of  that  motionless 
torpor  with  which  our  feelings  have  nothing  congenial ; 
of  any  thing,  in  short,  but  life.  In  the  very  silence 
there  is  a  deadness  with  which  a  human  spectator  ap- 
pears out  of  keeping.  The  presence  of  man  seems  an 
intrusion  on  the  dreary  solitude  of  this  wintry  desert, 
which  even  its  native  animals  have  for  awhile  forsaken." 

During  this  year  Parry  tells  us  the  thermometer  re- 
mained below  zero  131  days,  and  did  not  rise  above 
that  point  till  the  11th  of  April.  The  sun,  which  had 
been  absent  from  their  view  121  days,  again  blessed 
the  crews  with  his  rays  on  the  22d  of  February.  Du- 
ring this  long  imprisonment,  schools,  scientific  observa- 
tions, walking  parties,  &c.,  were  resorted  to,  but  "  our 
foimer  amusements,"  says  Parry,  "  being  almost  worn 
threadbare,  it  required  some  ingenuity  to  devise  any 


:a.„ 


iS4 


PK0GUK88   OF    AKCTIO    DISCOVERT. 


|>lan  that  should  possoHS  tlio  cluirni  vf  novelty  to  re 
?oiniiK!n(l  it."  A  luippy  idea  vvuh,  however,  hit  upon  by 
Coninuiuder  lloi)pner,  at  whoHe  HUi^^estiou  a  monthly 
')(il  viuttque  was  held,  to  the  great  diversion  of  iK)lli 
otKcers  and  men,  to  the  nundjer  of  120.  The  })oi)ulai 
(!onunander  entered  gavly  into  their  recreations,  and 
thus  speaks  of  these  jxMar  masquerades  :  — 

*^  It  is  impossible  that  any  idea  could  have  proved 
more  happy,  or  more  exactly  suited  to  oui  situation 
Admirably  dressed  characters  of  various  descrii)tions 
readily  took  their  parts,  and  numy  of  these  were  sup- 
ported with  a  degree  of  spirit  and  genuine  good  humor 
which  would  not  have  disgraced  a  more  refined  assem- 
bly;  while  the  latter  might  not  have  been  disgraced 
by  copying  the  good  order,  decorum,  and  inoflens've 
cheertulness  which  our  liumble  masquerades  presented. 
It  does  especial  credit  to  the  dispositions  and  good 
sense  of  our  men,  that  though  all  tlie  officers  entered 
fully  into  the  spirit  of  tliese  annisements,  which  took 
place  once  a  month  alternately  on  board  of  each  ship, 
no  instance  occurred  of  any  thing  that  could  interfere 
with  the  regular  discipline,  or  at  all  weaken  the  respect 
of  the  men  toward  their  superiors.  Ours  were  mas 
qncrades  without  licentiousness  —  carnivals  without 
excess." 

Exploring  parties  were  sent  out  in  several  directions. 
Commander  Iloppner  and  his  party  went  inland,  and 
after  a  fortnight's  fatiguing  journey  over  a  mountain- 
ous, barren,  and  desolate  country,  where  precipitous  ra- 
vines 500  feet  deep  obstructed  their  passage,  ti'aveled 
a  degree  and  three  quarters  —  to  the  latitude  of  73°  ID', 
but  saw  no  appeannce  of  sea  from  thence. 

Lieuten&iit  Sherer,  with  four  men,  proceeded  to  the 
southward,  and  made  a  careful  survey  of  the  coast  as 
far  as  721^,  but  had  not  provisions  sufficient  to  go 
round  Cape  Kater,  the  southernmost  point  observed  in 
their  iLrmer  voyage.      • 

Litulenaut  J.  C.  Ross,  with  a  similar  party,  traveled 
to  the  northward,  along  the  coast  of  the  Inlet,  and  from 
the  hills  about  Cape  York,  observed  that  the  sea  wa» 


'■;irWiiiliH'in  wiMitliii"-ii.-iiii.fcti;'t^iiif,  ti  IMtu^ 


PAKBY8   TIHUD   YOTAOB. 


135 


perfectly  open  and    frco  from  ice  at  the  diBtiincc  of 
twenty-two  niilcR  trom  the  Hhipfl. 

After  Hii  imj)risoniuent  of  nl>out  ten  monthH,  by  ^iwal 
exertionfl  tlie  fihipH  were  ^ot  clear  from  tho  ice,  uihI  ou 
till!  2<mIi  of  July,  1825,  upon  the  Reparation  of  tlii»  lloe 
across  tho  harhcr,  towed  out  to  sea.  l*arry  then  iiiado 
for  the  western  bhoro  of  the  Inlet,  heing  desirous  of  ex- 
amining; the  coast  of  North  Somerset  for  any  cliamiel 
that  might  occur,  a  prohubility  which  later  discoveries 
in  tiiat  quarter  have  proved  to  bo  without  foundation. 
On  tlie  28th,  when  well  in  with  tho  western  shore,  the 
Ileela,  in  spite  of  every  exertion,  was  beset  by  floating 
ice,  and  after  breaking  two  large  ice  anchors'  in  en- 
deavoring to  heave  in  snore,  was  obliged  to  give  up  tho 
effort  and  drift  with  the  ice  until  the  30th.  On  the 
following  day,  a  heavy  gale,  came  on,  in  which  tlio 
Ileela  carried  away  three  hawsers,  while  the  Fury  was 
driven  on  shore,  but  was  hoVe  oft*  at  high  water.  Both 
siiips  were  now  drifted  by  the  body  of  tho  ice  down  the 
Inlijt,  and  took  the  ground,  the  Fury  being  so  nipj)e(l 
and  strained  that  she  leaked  a  great  deal,  and  four 
pumps  kept  constantly  at  work  did  not  keep  her  clear 
of  water.  They  were  floated  off"  at  high  water,  but, 
late  on  the  2nd  of  August,  the  huge  masses  of  ice  once 
more  forced  the  Fury  on  shore,  and  the  Ileela  narrowly 
escaped.  On  examining  her  and  getting  her  off,  it 
was  found  that  she  must  be  hove  down  and  repaired  ; 
a  basin  was  therefore  formed  for  her  reception  and 
completed  by  the  16th,  a  mile  further  to  the  southward, 
within  three  icebergs  grounded,  where  there  were  three 
or  four  fiithoms  of  water.  Into  this  basin  she  was 
taken  on  the  18th,  and  her  stores  and  provisions  being 
removed,  she  was  hove  down,  but  a  gale  of  wind  com- 
ing on  and  destroying  tlie  masses  of  ice  which  shel- 
tered her,  it  became  necessary  to  re-embark  the  stores, 
&c.,  and  once  more  put  to  sea;  but  the  imfortunato 
vessel  had  hardly  got  out  of  her  harbor  before,  on  the 
•21st,  she  was  again  driven  on  shore.  Aflter  a  can^ful 
suivey  and  examination,  it  was  found  necessary  tc 
abandon  her  :  PaTy'a  opinion  being  thus  expressed  — 


136 


PROGRESS  OF   AJ6OTI0   DXflCX)VERT. 


ill 


&:f-,4' 


-i,',    I 


fe 


l!i; 
%' 


"  Every  endeavor  of  oure  to  get  her  off,  or  if  got  off,  to 
float  her  to  any  known  place  of  safety,  womd  be  at 
once  utterly  hopeless  in  itself,  and  productive  of  ex- 
treme risk  to  our  remaining  ship." 

The  loss  of  this  ship,  and  the  crowded  state  of  tha 
remaining  vessel,  made  it  impossible  to  think  of  con- 
tinuing the  voyage  for  the  purposes  of  discovery. 

"  The  incessant  labor,  the  constant  state  of  anxiety, 
and  the  frequent  and  imminent  danger  into  which  the 
surviving  sliip  was  thrown,  in  the  attempts  to  save  her 
comrade,  which  were  continued  for  twenty-five  days, 
destroj^ed  every  reasonable  expectation  hitherto  cher- 
ished of  the  ultimate  accomplishment  of  this  object." 

Taking  advantage  of  a  northerly  wind,  on  the  27th 
the  Hecla  stretched  across  the  Inlet  for  the  eastern 
coast,  meeting  with  little  obstruction  from  the  ice,  and 
anchored  in  Weill's  Harbor,  a  short  distance  to  the 
southward  of  their  winter  quarters.  Port  Bowen,  where 
tlie  ship  was  got  ready  for  crossing  the  Atlantic. 

The  Ilecla  put  to  sea  on  the  31st  of  August,  and  en- 
tering Barrow's  Strait  on  the  Ist  of  September,  found 
it  perfectly  clear  of  ice.  In  Lancaster  Sound,  a  very 
large  number  of  bergs  were  seen  ;  but  they  found  an 
open  sea  in  Baffin's  Say,  till,  on  the  7th  of  September, 
when  in  latitude  75°  30',  they  came  to  the  margin  of 
^he  ice,  and  soon  entered  a  clear  channel  on  its  eastern 
side.  From  thirty  to  forty  large  icebergs,  not  less  than 
200  feet  in  height,  were  sightea. 

On  the  12th  of  October,  Captain  Parry  landed  at 
Peterhead,  and  the  Ilecla  arrived  at  Sheerness  on  the 
20th.  But  one  ^an  died  during  this  voyage — John 
Page,  a  seaman  of  the  Fury  —  who  died  of  scurvy,  in 
Neill's  Harbor,  on  the  29th  of  August. 

This  voyage  cannot  but  be  considered  the  most  unsuc- 
cessful of  ci.e  three  made  by  Parry,  whether  as  regards 
the  information  gleaned  on  the  subject  of  a  northwest 
passage,  or  the  extension  of  our  store  of  geographical 
or  scientific  knowledge.  The  shores  of  this  inlet  were 
more  naked,  barren,  aiul  desolate  tlian  even  Melville 
Island.    With  the  exception  of  some  hundreds  of  white 


i  i 


II    iiii^ 


FBANKLIn's  second   EXrEDITION. 


137 


Led  at 

)n  the 

John 

fvy,  in 

msuc- 

kgards 

Ihwest 

)hical 

were 

.'Iville 

I  white 


whales,  seen  sporting  about  the  southernmost  part  of 
the  Inlet  that  was  visited,  few  other  species  of  animals 
were  seen. 

"We  have  scarcely,"  says  Parry,  "ever  visited  a  coast 
on  which  so  little  or  animal  life  occurs.  For  days  to- 
getlier  only  one  or  two  seals,  a  single  sea-horse,  and 
now  and  then  a  flock  of  ducks  were  seen." 

He  still  clings  to  the  accomplishment  of  the  great 
object  of  a  north >vest  passage.  At  page  184  of  his  offi- 
cial narrative,  he  says: — 

"  I  feel  confident  that  the  undertaking,  if  it  be  deemed 
advisable  at  any  future  time  to  pursue  it,  will  one  day 
or  other  be  accomplished  ;  for  —  setting  aside  the  acci- 
dents to  which,  from  their  very  nature,  such  attempts 
must  be  liable,  as  well  as  other  unfavorable  circum- 
stances which  human  foresight  can  never  guard  against, 
or  human  power  control — I  cannot  but  believe  it  to 
be  an  enterprise  well  within  the  reasonable  limits  of 
practicability.  It  may  be  tried  often  and  fail,  for  seve- 
ral favorable  and  fortunate  circumstances  must  be  com- 
bined for  its  accomplishment ;  but  I  believe,  neverthe- 
less, that  it  will  ultimately  be  accomplished." 

"  I  am  much  mistaken,  indeed,"  he  adds,  "  if  the 
northwest  passage  ever  becomes  the  business  of  a  single 
summer ;  nay,  I  believe  that  nothing  but  a  concurrence 
of  very  favorable  circumstances  is  likely  ever  to  make 
a  single  winter  in  the  ice  sufficient  for  its  accomplish- 
ment. But  there  is  no  argument  against  the  possibility 
of  final  success ;  for  we  Imow  that  a  winter  m  the  ice 
may  be  passed  not  only  in  safety,  but  in  health  and 
comfoi-t." 

Kot  one  winter  alone,  bnt  t«ro  and  three  have  been 
passed  with  health  and  safety  in  these  seas,  under  a 
wise  and  careftil  commander. 

F&AifKLiN's  Second  EzrEDmoN,  1825-26. 

Undaunted  by  the  hardships  and  sufferings  he  had 
encountered  in  his  previous  travels  with  a  noble  spii  .t 
of  ardor  and  enthusiasm,  Captain  Franklin  determined 


I 


138 


PROGRESS    OF   ARCllO   DISCOVERT. 


me';. 


I  :v;t 


m 


to  prosecute  the  chain  of  his  former  discoveries  from 
the  Coppermine  river  to  the  most  western  point  of  the 
Arctic  regions.  A  sea  expedition,  under  the  command 
of  Captam  Beechev  was  at  the  same  time  sent  round 
Cape  Horn  to  Behrmg's  Straits,  to  co-operat«  with  Parri* 
and  Franklin,  so  as  to  furnish  provisions  to  the  former, 
and  a  conversance  home  to  the  latter. 

Captain  Franklin's  offer  was  therefore  accepted  by 
the  government,  and  leaving  Liverpool  in  February, 
1825,  he  arrived  at  New  York  about  the  middle  of 
March.  The  officers  under  his  orders  were  his  old  and 
tried  companions  and  fellow  sufferers  in  the  former  jour- 
ney —  Dr.  Richardson  and  Lieutenant  Back,  with  Mr. 
E.  N.  Kendal,  a  mate  in  the  navy,  who  had  been  out  in 
the  Griper  with  Capt.  Lyon,  and  Mr.  T.  Dri:;;im  ,i,  a 
naturalist.  Four  boats,  specially  prepared  tOi  tLa  pur- 
poses of  the  expedition,  were  sent  out  by  the  Hudson's 
Buy  Company's  ship. 

In  July,  1825,  the  party  arrived  at  Fort  Chipewyan. 
It  is  unnecessary  to  go  over  the  ground  and  follow  them 
in  their  northern  journey;  suffice  it  to  say,  they  reached 
Groat  Bear  Lake  in  safety,  and  erected  a  winter  dwell- 
ing on  its  western  shore,  to  which  the  name  of  Fort 
Franklin  was  given.  To  Back  and  Mr.  Dease,  an  offi- 
cer in  the  Hudson's  Bay  Company's  service,  were  in- 
trusted the  arrangements  for  their  winter  quarters. 

From  here  a  small  party  set  out  with  Franklin  down 
the  Mackenzie  to  examine  the  state  of  the  Polar  Sea. 
On  the  6th  of  September  they  got  back  to  their  com 
panions,  and  prepared  to  pass  the  long  winter  of  seven 
or  eight  months. 

On  the  28th  of  June,  1826,  the  season  being  suffi- 
cientlv  advanced,  and  all  their  preparations  completed, 
the  whole  partv  got  away  in  four  boats  to  descend  the 
Mackenzie  to  the  rolar  Sea.  "Where  the  river  branches 
off  into  several  channels,  the  party  separated  on  the  Sd 
of  July,  Captain  Franklin  and  Lieutenant  Back,  whh 
two  boats  and  fourteen  men,  having  with  them  tiia 
faithful  Esquimaux  interpreter,  Augustus,  who  had 
been  with  them  on  the  former  expedition,  prov^eodei?  to 


franklin's  second  expedition. 


139 


I  from 

of  the 

imand 

round 

Parri> 

x)rmer, 

ted  by 
t)ruary, 
Idle  of 
)ld  and 
er  jour- 
ith  Mr. 
3  out  in 
\.i:(.^-,  a 
;uo  pur- 
udson's 

3ewyan. 
)W  tliem 
reached 
r  dwell- 
of  Fort 

an  offi- 
rere  in- 

jrs. 

Qdown 

ar  Sea. 

r  coir 
seven 

ig  suffi- 
mleted, 
Ind  the 
knches 
the  3<1 
.,  wi\!' 
mi  iiii 
JO  }\a(i 
fdeO  to 


if 


the  westward,  while  Dr.  Richardson  and  Mr.  Keudul 
in  the  other  two  boats,  having  ten  men  under  their 
command,  set  out  in  an  easterly  direction,  to  search 
the  Coppermiaie  River. 

FranKlin  arrived  at  the  month  of  the  Mackenzie  on 
tile  7th  of  July,  where  he  encountered  a  large  tribe  of 
fierce  Esquimaux,  who  pillaged  his  boats,  and  it  was 
only  by  great  caution,  prudence  and  forbearance,  tliiit 
the  whole  party  were  not  massacred.  After  gettin<^  the 
boats  afloat,  and  clear  of  these  unpleasant  visitors, 
Fi-anklin  pursued  his  survey,  a  most  tedious  and  difh- 
cnlt  one,  for  more  than  a  month ;  he  was  only  able  to 
rejicli  a  point  in  latitude  70°  24'  N.,  longitude  149°  37' 
VV^.,  to  which  Back's  name  was  given  ;  and  here  pru- 
dence obliged  him  to  return,  although,  strangely  enongli, 
a  boat  from  the  Blossom  was  waiting  not  160  miles  west 
of  his  position  to  meet  with  him.  The  extent  of  coast 
Burveyed  was  374  miles.  The  return  journey  to  Fort 
Franklin  was  safely  accomplished,  and  they  arrived  at 
their  house  on  the  31st  of  September,  when  they  found 
Richardson  and  Kendal  had  returned  on  the  first  of 
the  month,  having  accomplished  a  voyage  of  about  500 
miles,  or  902  by  the  coast  line,  between  the  4th  of  July 
and  the  8th  of  August.  They  had  pushed  forward  l)c- 
vond  the  strait  named  after  their  boats,  the  Dolphin  and 
Union. 

In  aseei  dln<j  ♦ihe  Coppermine,  they  had  to  abandon 
their  Ixmis  and  carry  their  provisions  and  baggage. 

Ilavinw  passed  another  winter  at  Fort  Franklin,  as 
soon  as  the  season  broke-  up  the  Canadians  were  dis- 
missed, and  the  party  returned  to  England.   . 

The  cold  experienced  in  the  last  winter  was  intense, 
the  thermometer  standing  at  one  time  at  58°  below  zero, 
but  having  now  plenty  of  food,  a  weather-tight  dwell- 
ing, and  good  health,  they  passed  it  cheerfully.  Dr. 
Richardson  gave  a  course  of  lectures  on  practical  geol- 
ogy, and  Mr.  Drummond  furnished  information  on  natn- 
rfd  liistory.  During  the  winter,  in  a  solitary  hut  on  the 
Rocky  mountains,  he  managed  to  collect  200  specimens 
of  birds,  animals,  &c.,  and  more  than  1500  of  plants. 
9  F*  ^ 


140 


PE0GRES8  OF  ARC3TI0  DISCOVERT. 


When  Captain  Franklin  letl  England  to  proceed  on 
this  expedition  he  had  to  undergo  a  severe  struggle 
between  his  feelings  of  affection  and  a  sense  of  duty. 
His  wife  (he  has  been  married  twice)  wa^  then  lying  at 
tlie  point  of  deatli,  and  indeed  died  the  day  after  he 
loft  England.  But  with  heroic  fortiti\de  she  urged  hia 
departure  at  the  very  day  appointed,  entreating  him, 
as  lie  valued  her  peace  and  his  ow^n  glory,  not  to  delay 
a  moment  on  her  account.  Ilis  feelings,  therefore,  may 
be  inferred,  Ijut  not  described,  when  lie  had  to  elevate 
on  Garry  Island  a  silk  flag,  which  she  had  made  and 
pv'^i}  him  as  a  parting  gift,  with  the  instruction  that 
ne  «v        ily  to  hoist  it  on  reaching  the  Polar  Sea. 


mm 


i' 


tit   1 


Bbbohby's  Voyage. — 1826-28. 

H.  M.  8L00P  Blossom,  26,  Captain  F.  W.  Beechey, 
sailed  from  Spithead  on  the  19th  of  May,  1825,  and 
her  instructions  directed  her,  after  s^  veying  some  of 
the  islands  in  the  Pacific,  to  be  in  Benring's  Straits  by 
tiie  summer  or  autumn  of  1826,  and  contingently  in  that 
of  1827. 

It  is  foreign  to  my  purpose  here  to  allude  to  those 
parts  of  her  voyage  anterior  to  her  arrival  in  the  Strait^ 

On  the  28th  of  June  the  Blossom  came  to  an  anchoi 
oif  the  town  of  Petropolowski,  where  she  fell  in  with 
the  Eussian  ship  of  war  Modesto,  under  the  commano 
of  Baron  "Wrangel,  so  well  known  for  his  enterprise  it 
the  hazardous  expedition  by  sledges  over  the  ice  to  thf 
northward  of  Cape  ShelatSKoi,  or  Errinos. 

Captain  Beechey  here  found  dispatches  informinf 
him  of  the  return  of  Parry's  expedition.  Being  bes^ 
by  currents  and  other  difliculties,  it  was  not  till  the  5tb 
of  July  that  the  Blossom  got  clear  of  the  harbor,  and 
made  the  best  of  her  way  to  Kotzebue  Sound,  reaching 
the  appointed  rendezvous  at  Chamiso  Island  on  the  25th. 
After  landing  and  burying  a  barrel  of  flour  upon  Puffin 
Rock,  the  most  unfrequented  spot  about  the  island,  the 
P.lopRom  occupied  the  time  in  8"arveying  and  examining 


BEECIIEY  B  VOrAQE. 


u\ 


the  neighboring  coaats  to  the  northeast.  On  the  30th 
pho  took  her  departure  from  the  island,  orectina^  posts 
or  land-marks,  and  burying  dispatches  at  Cape  Krusen- 
6tern,  near  a  capo  which  he  named  after  Franklin,  near 
Icy  Oape. 

The  ship  returned  to  the  rendezvous  on  the  evening 
of  the  28th  of  August.  The  barrel  of  flour  had  been 
dug  up  and  appropriated  by  the  natives. 

On  the  first  visit  of  one  of  these  parties,  they  con- 
structed a  chart  of  the  coast  upon  the  sand,  of  which, 
however,  Captain  Beechey  at  first  took  very  little  notice. 
"  They,  however,  renewed  their  labor,  and  performed 
their  work  upon  the  sandy  beach  in  a  very  ingenious  and 
intelligible  manner.  The  coast  line  was  lirst  marked 
out  with  a  stick,  and  the  distances  regulated  by  the 
day's  journey.  The  hills  and  ranges  of  mountains  were 
next  shown  by  elevations  of  sand  or  stone,  and  the 
islands  represented  by  heaps  of  pebbles,  their  propor- 
tions being  duly  attended  to.  As  the  work  proceeded, 
some  of  the  bystanders  occasionally  suggested  altera- 
tions, and  Captain  Beechey  moved  one  of  the  Diomede 
Islands,  which  was  misplaced.  This  was  at  first  ob- 
jected to  by  the  hydrographer,  but  one  of  the  party 
recollecting  that  the  islands  were  seen  in  one  from  Cape 
Prince  of  Wales,  confirmed  its  new  position  and  made 
the  mistake  quite  evident  to  the  others,  who  were  much 
surprised  that  Captain  Beechey  should  have  acy  knowl- 
edge of  the  subject.  When  the  mountains  and  islands 
were  erected,  the  villages  and  fishing-stations  were 
marked  by  a  number  of  sticks  placed  upright,  in  imita- 
tion of  those  which  are  put  up  on  the  coast  wherever 
these  people  fix  their  abode.  In  time,  a  complete  hy- 
drographical  plan  was  drawn  from  Cape  Derby  to  Cape 
Krusenstem. 

This  ingenuity  and  accuracy  of  description  on  the 
part  of  the  Esquimaux  is  worthy  of  particular  remark, 
and  has  been  verified  by  almost  all  the  Arctic  explorers. 

The  barge  which  had  been  dispatched  to  the  cast- 
ward,  under  <*.harge  of  Mr.  Elson,  reached  to  latitude 
U°  23'  31"  Nn  and  longitude  156°  21'  31"  W.,  wlior« 


142 


PROGRESS  OF  ARCTIC   DISCOVERY 


1 

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she  was  stopped  by  tlie  ice  wliicli  was  attached  to  the 
shore.  "  The  farthest  tongue  of  land  they  readied  was 
named  Point  Barrow,  and  is  about  126  miles  northeast 
of  lev  Cape,  being  only  about  150  or  160  miles  from 
Franklin's  discoveries  west  of  the  Mackenzie  river. 

The  wind  suddenly  clianging  to  southwest,  the  com- 
pact body  of  ice  began  to  drift  with  the  current  to  the 
northeast  at  the  rate  of  three  and  a  half  miles  an  hour, 
and  Mr.  Elson,  finding  it  difficult  to  avoid  large  floating 
masses  of  ice,  was  obliged  to  come  to  an  anchor  to  pre- 
vent being  driven  back.  "  It  was  not  long  before  he  was 
60  closely  beset  in  the  ice,  that  no  clear  water  could 
be  seen  in  tiny  direction  from  the  hills,  and  the  ice 
continuing  to  press  against  the  shore,  his  vessel  was 
driven  upon  the  beach,  and  there  left  upon  her  broad- 
side in  a  most  help!  ^ss  condition ;  and  to  add  to  his 
cheerless  prospect  vhe  disposition  of  the  natives,  wltorn 
he  found  to  increase  in  numbers  as  ho  advanced, to  the 
northward,  was  of  a  very  doubtful  chai'acter.  At  Point 
-  I^arrow,  where  they  were  very  numerous,  their  over- 
bearing behavior,  and  the  thefts  they  o]^enly  prac- 
ticed, left  no  doubt  of  what  would  be  the  iiite  of  hin 
little  crew,  in  the  event  of  their 


falling  into 


th 


f.ii 


l^ower.  They  were  in  this  dilemma  t^everal  days,  dur- 
ing which  every  endeavor  was  made  to  extricate  the 
vessel  but  without  effect,  and  Mr.  Elson  contenijilated 
sinking  her  secretly  in  a  lake  that  was  near,  to  ])i  evont 
her  falling  into  the  hands  of  the  Esquimaux,  and  then 
Uiaking  his  way  along  the  coast  in  a  baidar,  which  he 
bad  no  doubt  he  should  be  able  to  purchase  from  the 
natives.  At  length,  however,  a  change  of  wind  loos- 
ened the  ice,  and  after  considerable  labor  and  trial,  in 
which  the  personal  strength  of  the  officers  was  united 
to  that  of  the  seamen,  Mr.  Elson,  with  his  shipmates, 
fortunately  succeeded  in  effecting  their  escape. 

Captain    Beechey  was  very  anxious   to  remain  in 

Kotzebue  Sound  until  the  end  of  October,  the  period 

•  named  in  his  instructions,  but  the  rapid  a])proach  o+' 

winter,  the  danger  of  being  locked  up,  having  only 

five  weeks'  provisions  left,  and  the  nearest  point  at 


beechey's  voyage. 


143 


which  he  could  replenish  being  some  2000  miles  dis- 
tant, induced  his  officers  to  concur  w?th  him  in  the 
necessity  of  leaving  at  once.  A  barrel  of  flour  and 
other  articles  were  buried  on  the  sandy  point  of  Cha- 
miso,  for  Franklin,  which  it  was  hoped  would  escape 
the  prying  eyes  of  the  natives. 

After  a  cruise  to  California,  the  Sandwich  Islands, 
Loochoo,  the  Bonin  Islands,  <fec.,  the  Blossom  returned 
to  Chamiso  Island  on  the  6th  of  July,  1827.  They 
found  the  flour  and  dispatches  they  had  left  the  pre- 
vious year  unmolested.  Lieut.  Belcher  was  dispatched 
in  the  barge  to  explore  the  coast  to  the  northward,  and 
the  ship  followed  her  as  soon  as  the  wind  permitted. 
On  the  9th  of  September,  when  standing  in  for  the 
northern  shore  of  Kotzebue  Sound,  the  ship  drifting 
with  the  current  took  the  ground  on  a  sand-bank  near 
Ilotham  Inlet,  but  the  wind  moderating,  as  the  tide 
rose  she  went  oflT  the  shoal  apparently  without  injur}'. 

After  this  narrow  escape  from  shipwreck  they  beat 
up  to  Chamiso  Island,  which  they  reached  on  the  10th 
of  Se])tember.  Not  finding  the  barge  returned  as  ex- 
pected, the  coast  was  scanned,  and  a  signal  of  distress 
found  flying  on  the  southwest  point  of  Choris  Pen 
insula,  and  two  men  waving  a  white  cloth  to  attract 
notice.  On  landing,  it  was  found  that  this  party  wei'e 
the  crew  of  the  barge,  which  had  been  wrecked  in  Kot- 
zebue Sound,  and  three  of  the  men  were  also  lost. 

On  the  29th  a  collision  took  place  with  the  natives, 
which  resulted  in  three  of  the  seamen  and  four  of  the 
marines  being  wounded  by  arrows,  and  one  of  the  na- 
tives killed  by  the  return  nre. 

After  leaving  advices  for  Franklin,  as  before,  the 
Blossom  finally  left  Chamiso  on  the  6th  of  October. 
In  a  haze  and  strong  wind  she  ran  between  the  land 
and  a  shoal,  and  a  passage  had  to  be  forced  through 
breakers  at  the  imminent  danger  of  the  ship's  striking. 
The  Blossom  then  made  the  best  of  her  way  homtj, 
reaching  England  in  the  first  week  of  October,  1828 


i 


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1           '. 

w 


PROGRESS  OF  ARCTIC  DISCOVERT. 


iff  yu 


mi 


f:       :;;!;: 


M: 


Parry's  Fourth,  or  Polar  Voyage,  1827. 

Im  1826,  Capt.  Parry,  who  had  only  returned 
from  his  last  voyage  in  the  close  of  the  preced- 
ing year,  waa  much  struck  by  the  suggestions  of 
Mr.  Scoresby,  in  a  paper  read  before  the  Werne- 
rian  Society,  in  which  he  sketched  out  a  plan  for 
reaching  the  highest  latitudes  of  the  Polar  Sea, 
north  of  Spitzbergen,  by  means  of  sledge  boats 
drawn  over  the  smooth  fields  of  ice  which  were 
known  to  prevail  in  those  regions.  Col.  Beaufoy, 
F.  R.  S.,  had  also  suggested  this  idea  some  years 
previously.  Comparing  these  with  a  similar 
plan  originally  proposed  by  Captain  Franklin, 
and  which  was  placed  in  his  hands,  by  Mr.  Bar- 
row, the  secretary  of  the  Admiralty,  Capt.  Parry 
laid  his  modified  views  of  this  feasibility  of  the 
project,  and  his  willii.gness  to  undertake  it,  be- 
fore Lord  Melville,  the  First  Lord  of  the  Admir- 
alty, who,  after  consulting  with  the  president 
and  council  of  the  Royal  Society,  sanctioned  the 
attempt;  accordingly,  his  old  ship,  the  Hecla,  was 
fitted  out  for  the  voyage  to  Spitzbergen,  the  fol- 
lowing officers,  (all  of  whom  had  been  with  Parry 
before,)  and  crew  being  appointed  to  her: — 

Hecla. 

Captain—W.  E.  Parry. 

Lieutenants — ^J.   C.    Ross,  Henry  Foster,  E.  J. 
Bird,  F.  R.M.  Crozier. 

Purser — James  Halse. 

Surgeon — C.  J.  Beverley. 

On  the  4th  of  April,  1827,  the  outfit  and  prep- 
arations being  completed,  the  Hecla  left  the 
Nore  for  the  coast  of  Norway,  touching  at  Ham- 
merfest,  to  embark  eight  reindeer,  and  some 
moss  sufficient  for  their  support,  the  consump- 
tion being  about  4  lbs.  per  day,  but  they  can  go 
without  food  for  several  days.  A  tremendous 
gale  of  wind,  experienced  off  Hakluyt's  Head- 
land; and  the  quantity  of  ice  with  which  the  ship 
was  in  consequence  beset,  detained  the  voyagers 
fgr  nearly  a  month,  but  on  the  ISth  of  June, 


PAREY  8   FOURTH   VOTAQB. 


145 


J. 


a  Boutherljr  wind  dispersing  the  ice,  they  dropped 
anchor  in  a  cove,  on  the  northern  coast  of  Spitzbergen, 
whio.h  appeared  to  offer  a  secure  haven,  and  to  which 
the  name  of  the  ship  was  given.  On  the  20th,  the 
boats,  which  had  been  especially  prepared  in  England 
for  this  kind  of  journey,  were  got  out  and  made  ready, 
and  they  left  the  ship  on  the  22d  of  June.  A  descrip> 
tion  of  these  boats  may  not  here  be  out  of  place. 

They  were  twenty  feet  long  and  seven  broad,  flat 
floored,  like  ferry  boats,  strengthened  and  made  elas- 
tic by  sheets  of  felt  between  the  planking,  covered 
with  water-proof  canvass.  A  runner  attached  to  each 
side  of  the  keel,  adapted  them  for  easy  draught  on  the 
ice  after  the  manner  of  a  sledge.  They  were  also  fit- 
ted with  wheels,  to  be  used  if  deemed  expedient  and 
useful.  Two  officers  and  twelve  men  were  attached 
to  each  boat,  and  they  were  named  the  Enterprise  and 
Endeavor.  The  weight  of  each  boat,  including  pro- 
visions and  every  requisite,  was  about  8780  lbs.  Lieuts. 
Crozier  and  Foster  were  left  on  board,  and  Capt.  Parry 
took  with  him  in  his  boat  Mr.  Beverley,  Surgeon,  while 
Lieut,  (now  Capt.  Sir  James)  Ross,  and  Lieut*  (now 
Commander)  Bird,  had  charge  of  the  other. 

The  reindeer  and  the  wheels  were  given  up  as  use- 
less, owing  to  the  rough  nature  of  the  ice.  Provision" 
for  seventy-one  days  were  taken  ~  the  daily  allowance 
per  man  on  the  journey  being  10  ozs.  biscuit,  9  ozs. 
pemmican,  1  oz.  sweetened  cocoa  powder  (being 
enough  to  make  a  pint,)  and  one  gill  of  rum ;  but 
scanty  provision  in  such  a  climate,  for  men  employed 
on  severe  labor ;  three  ounces  of  tobacco  were  also 
served  out  to  each  per  week. 

As  fuel  was  too  bulky  to  transport,  spirits  of  wine 
were  consumed,  w^ich  answered  all  the  purposes  re- 
quired, a  pint  twice  a  day  being  found  sufficient  to 
warm  each  vessel,  when  applied  to  an  iron  boiler  by  a 
shallow  lamp  with  seven  wicks.  After  floating  the 
boats  <br  about  eighty  miles,  they  came  to  an  unpleas- 
ant mixed  surface  of  ice  and  water,  where  their  toilsome 
joiu'iiey  commenced,  the  boats  having  to  be  laden  and 


140 


PROGRESS  OF  AUCnO  DISCOVERT. 


||: 

i 

■  1  i 

it 

•ill 

HI 

.:'l''r,  ,■''■ 

MM,  i : 
I  Pi  vl ' '  ■ 

I  pi: 


1' 


liili 


unladen  sevtiral  times  according  as  they  came  to  floea 
of  ice  or  lanes  of  water,  and  they  were  drifted  to  the 
southward  by  the  ice  at  the  rate  of  four  or  five  miles  a 
day.  Parry  found  it  more  advantageous  to  travel  by 
night,  the  snow  being  then  harder,  and  the  inconveii' 
ience  of  snow  blindness  being  avoided,  while  the  i)arty 
enjoyed  greater  warmth  during  the  period  of  rest,  and 
had  better  opportunities  of  drying  their  clothes  by  the 
sun. 

I  cannot  do  better  than  quote  Parry's  graphic  de- 
scription of  this  novel  course  of  proceeding :  "  Travel- 
ing by  night,  and  sleeping  by  day,  so  completely  in- 
verted the  natural  order  of  things  that  it  was  difficult 
to  persuade  ourselves  of  the  reality.  Even  the  officers 
and  myself,  who  were  all  furnished  with  pocket  chro- 
nometers, could  not  always  bear  in  mind  at  what  part 
of  the  twenty-hours  we  had  arrived ;  and  there  were 
several  of  the  men  who  declared,  and  I  believe  truly, 
that  they  never  knew  night  from  day  during  the  whole 
excursion. 

"  When  we  rose  in  the  evening,  we  commenced  onr 
day  by  prayers,  after  which  we  took  off  our  fur  sleep- 
ing-dresses and  put  on  clothes  for  traveling ;  the  former 
being  made  of  camlet  lined  with  raccoon  skin,  and  the 
latter  of  strong  blue  cloth.  "We  made  a  point  of  al- 
ways putting  on  the  same  stockings  and  boots  for 
traveling  in,  whether  they  had  been  dried  during  the 
day  or  not,  and  I  belic^e  it  was  only  in  five  or  six  in- 
stances at  the  most  that  they  were  not  either  still  wet 
or  hard  frozen.  This  indeed  was  of  no  consequence, 
beyond  the  discomfort  of  first  putting  them  on  in  this 
state,  as  they  were  sure  to  be  thoroughly  wet  in  a 
quarter  of  an  hour  after  commencing  our  journey ; 
while,  on  the  other  hand,  it  was  of  vital  importance 
to  koep  dry  things  for  sleeping  in.  Being  '  rigged ' 
for  traveling,  we  breakfasted  upon  warm  cocoa  and 
biscuit,  and  after  stowing  the  things  in  the  boats,  and 
on  the  sledges,  so  as  to  secure  them  as  much  as  pos- 
sible from  wet,  we  set  off  on  our  day's  journey,  and 
usually  traveled  four,  five,  or  even  six  hours,  accord- 
ins:  to  circumstances." 


PAItRV^S   FOt/KTH   VOYAGB. 


147 


this 

in  a 

I'ney ; 

Itance 

;ged' 

and 
I,  and 

poa- 
L  and 
Icord 


In  five  days,  notwithstanding  their  perseverance 
and  continued  journeys,  they  found,  by  observation  at 
noon,  on  tlie  30th,  that  they  had  only  made  eight  mile? 
of  direct  northing. 

At  Walden  Island,  one  of  the  Seven  Islands,  and 
Little  Table  Island,  reserve  supplies  of  provisions  were 
deposited  to  fall  back  upon  in  case  of  necessity. 

In  halting  early  in  the  morning  for  the  purposes  of 
rest,  the  boats  were  hauled  up  on  the  largest  piece  of 
ice  tliat  offered  the  least  chance  of  breaking  through, 
or  of  coming  in  contact  with  other  masses,  the  snow  or 
wet  was  cleaned  out  and  the  sails  rigged  as  awnings. 
"Every  man  then  immediuioly  put  on  dry  stockings 
and  fur  boots,  after  which  we  set  about  the  necessary 
repairs  of  boats,  sledges,  or  clothes,  and  after  serving 
the  provisions  for  the  succeeding  day,  we  went  to  sup- 
per. Most  of  the  officers  and  men  then  smoked  their 
pipes,  wliich  served  to  dry  the  boats  and  awnings  very 
much,  and  usually  raised  the  temperature  of  our  lodg- 
ings 10°  or  15°.  Tliis  part  of  the  twenty-four  hours 
was  often  a  time,  and  the  only  one,  of  real  enjoyment 
to  us  ;  the  men  told  their  stories,  and  fought  all  their 
battles  o'er  again,  and  the  labors  of  the  day,  unsuccess- 
ful as  they  too  often  were,  were  forgotten.  A  regular 
watch  was  set  during  our  resting  time,  to  look  out  for 
bears,  or  for  the  ice  oreaking  up  round  us,  as  well  as 
to  attend  to  the  drying  of  the  clothes,  each  man  alter- 
nately taking  this  duty  for  one  hour.  We  then  con- 
cluded our  day  with  prayers,  and  having  put  on  oui 
fur  dresses,  lay  down  to  sleep  with  a  degree  of  comfort 
which  perhaps  few  persons  would  imagine  possible  un- 
der such  circumstances,  our  chief  ineon  3nience  being, 
that  we  were  somewhat  pinched  for  room,  and  there- 
fore obliged  to  stow  rather  closer  than  was  quite  agree- 
able.'' 

This  close  stowage  may  be  imagined  when  it  is  re- 
membered that  thirteen  persons  had  to  sleep  in  a  boat 
seven  feet  broad.  After  sleeping  about  seven  hours, 
they  were  roused  from  their  slunabers  by  the  sound  of 
a  bugle  from  the  cook  and  watchman,  which  announced 


148 


PROGRESS   OF   ARCTIC   DISCOVERT. 


f: 


.'i 


■P!'; 


1»;1.' 


1-E 


ftif 


tliat  thoir  cocoa  was  smoking  hot,  and  invited  them  Iq 
breakfast. 

Their  progress  was  of  the  most  tedious  and  toilsome 
character,  heavy  showers  of  rain  rendering  the  ice  on 
many  occasions  a  mass  of  "  slush  ;"  on  others  there  was 
from  six  to  eighteen  inches  of  snow  lying  on  the  sur- 
face. Frequently  the  crew  had  to  proceed  on  their 
hands  and  knees  to  secure  a  footing,  and  on  one  occa- 
sion they  made  such  a  snail-like  progress  that  in  two 
hours  they  only  accomplished  150  yards.  On  the  12th 
of  Jul^,  they  had  reached  the  latitude  of  82°  14'  28". 
After  nve  hours'  unceasing  labor  on  the  14th,  the  pro- 
gress was  but  a  mile  and  a  half  due  north,  though 
from  three  to  four  miles  had  been  traversed,  and  ten  at 
least  walked,  having  made  three  journeys  a  great  part 
of  the  way ;  launched  and  hauled  up  the  boats  ibur 
times,  ana  dragged  them  over  twenty-five  separate 
pieces  of  ice.  On  the  18th,  after  eleven  hours  ^f  ao- 
tual  labor,  requiring  for  the  most  part  the  exer  of 
the  whole  strength  of  the  party,  they  had  traveL  -  ^ver 
a  space  not  exceeding  four  iniles,  of  which  only  two 
were  made  good. 

But  on  halting  on  the  morning  of  the  20th,  having 
by  his  reckoning  accomplished  six  and  a  half  miles  in 
a  N.  N.  "W.  direction,  the  distance  traversed  being  teii 
miles  and  a  half.  Parry  found  to  his  mortification  from 
observation  at  noon,  that  they  were  not  five  miles  to 
the  northward  of  their  place  at  noon  on  the  17th, 
although  they  had  certainly  traveled  twelve  miles  in 
that  direction  since  then. 

On  the  2l8t,  a  floe  of  ice  on  which  they  had  lodged 
the  boats  and  sledges,  broke  with  their  weight,  and  all 
went  through  with  several  of  the  crew,  who,  with  the 
sledges  were  providentially  saved. 

On  the  23d,  the  farthest  northerly  point  was  reached, 
which  was  about  82°  46'. 

At  noon  on  the  26th,  the  weather  being  clear,  the 
meridian  altitude  of  the  sun  was  obtained, "  by  which," 
says  Parry, "  we  found  ourselves  in  latitude  82°  40'  23", 
BO  that  since  our  last  observation  (at  midnight  on  the 


FABRY  8  FOURTH   YOTAGIB. 


149 


two 


Idged 
\d  all 
the 

3hed, 

the 
lich,'' 
1 23", 

the 


22d,)  we  had  lost  by  drift  no  loss  tlinn  thirtoon  and  a 
half  miles,  for  we  wore  now  nioro  than  three  niilos  to  the 
aonthward  of  thut  observation,  thongli  we  had  certainly 
traveled  between  ten  and  eleven,  dno  north  in  this 
interval  I  A<;ain,  we  were  but  one  mile  to  tiie  nortli 
of  our  place  at  noon  on  the  2l8t,  though  we  had  esti- 
mated our  distance  made  good  at  twenty-three  miles." 
After  encountering  every  species  of  fatigue  and  dis- 
heartening obstacle?,  in  peril  of  their  lives  almost  (}V{:ry 
hour,  Parry  now  became  convinced  that  it  was  hope- 
less to  pursue  the  journey  any  further,  and  he  could 
not  even  reach  the  eighty -third  parallel ;  tor  after  thir- 
ty-five days  of  continuous  and  most  fatiguing  diiulg- 
ery,  with  half  their  resources  expended,  and  the  mid- 
dle of  the  season  arrived,  he  found  that  the  distance 
gained  in  their  laborious  traveling  was  lost  by  the 
drift  and  sea  of  the  ice  with  I'le  soiilherly  current  dur- 
ing the  period  of  rest.  After  planting  their  ensigns 
and  pennants  on  the  26th,  and  making  it  a  day  of  rcot 
on  the  27th,  the  return  to  the  southward  was  com- 
menced. Nothing  particular  t)ccurred.  Lieutenant 
Koss  managed  to  bring  down  with  his  gun  a  fat  she 
bear,  which  came  to  have  a  look  at  the  boats,  and  af- 
ter gormandizing  on  its  tlesh,  an  excess  which  may 
bo  excused  considering  it  was  the  first  fresh  meat  they 
had  tasted  for  many  a  day,  some  symptoms  of  indi- 
gestion manifested  themselves  among  the  party. 

On  the  outward  journey  very  little  of  animal  life 
was  seen.  A  passing  gull,  a  solitary  rotge,  ^wo  seals, 
and  a  couple  of  files,  were  all  that  their  eager  eyes 
could  detect.  But  on  their  return,  these  became  more 
numerous.  On  the  8th  of  August,  seven  or  eight  nar- 
whals were  seen,  and  not  Icos  tium  200  rotges,  a  fiuck 
of  these  little  birds  occuring  in  every  hole  of  water. 
On  the.  11th,  in  latitude  til^  30',  the  sea  was  found 
crowded  with  shrimps  and  other  sea  insects,  ou  which 
numerous  birds  were  feeding.  On  this  day  they  took 
their  last  meal  on  the  ice,  being  fifty  miles  distant  from 
Table  Islaud,  having  accomplished  in  fiteen  days  wiiat 
had  token  thorn  thirty Hhree  to  etiect  on  their  ontwi^rd 


150 


PE00RES8   OF  AROTIO  DISCOVERT. 


m 


I 


t:f^ 


■it'- 


i  If' 


joiiniev.  On  the  12th,  they  arrived  at  this  ishind.  Tlie 
hears  had  walked  ott'  with  the  relay  of  hread  which 
had  heeu  deposited  there.  To  an  inlet  lyiu*;-  uR'  Tiil)le 
iHhiiid,  and  the  most  northern  known  land  upon  tlio 
gluhe,  Parry  gave  the  name  of  Eoss,  for  '•  no  individ- 
ual," he  observes,  "  could  have  exerted  hiuiself  mure 
btronuously  to  rob  it  of  this  distinction." 

Putting  to  sea  again,  a  storm  obliged  the  boats  tu 
bear  up  fur  Walden  Island.  "  Every  thing  bekwigmg  tu 
us  (says  Captain  Parry)  was  now  completely  drenclied 
by  tlie  spray  and  snow  ;  we  had  been  fifty -six  huuit? 
without  rest,  and  forty-eight  at  work  in  the  buatj-,  su 
that  by  the  time  they  were  unloaded  we  had  barely 
stre!igtli  left  to  haul  tiiem  up  on  the  rocks.  IJuwever, 
by  dint  of  great  exertion,  we  managed  to  get  the  boats 
above  the  surf ;  after  which  a  hot  supper,  a  bla/iii^ 
lire  of  drift  wood,  and  a  few  hours  quiet  rest,  restored 
us." 

They  finally  reached  the  ship  on  the  2lBt  of  August, 
after  sixty-one  days'  absence. 

''Tlie  distance  traversed  during  this  excursion  was 
o()D  get)graphical  miles  ;  but  allowing  for  the  times  we 
h.'id  tu  return  fur  our  baggage,  during  the  greater  part 
of  the  journey  over  the  ice,  we  estimated  our  actual 
traveling  at  978  geographical,  or  1127  statute  miles. 
Considering  our  constant  exposure  to  wet,  cold,  and 
ratigue,  our  stockings  having  generally  been  drenched 
in  snow-water  for  twelve  hours  out  of  every  twenty- 
tour,  I  had  great  reason  to  be  thankful  for  the  excellent 
health  in  which,  upon  the  whole,  we  reached  the  ship, 
Thei'e  is  little  doubt  that  we  had  all  become  in  a  certain 
degree  gradually  vveaker  for  some  time  past ;  but  only 
tliree  men  of  our  party  now  required  medical  cave  — 
two  of  tiieni  with  badly  swelled  legs  and  general  de 
bility,  and  the  other  from  a  bruise,  but  even  these  threb 
returned  to  their  duty  in  a  sliort  time." 

In  a  letter  from  Sir  W.  E.  Parry  to  Sir  John  Barrow, 
dated  November  25,  1845,  he  thus  suggests  some  im 
provemeuts  on  his  old  plan  of  proceedings  * — 

"  It  is  evident  (he  says)  that  the  causes  of  failure  ii) 


'^^ 


tniM.  •^■ijrt- 


PAUllY^B   FOLin'tl    VOYAGE. 


151 


was 
we 

•jii't 

Mill 

.08. 

and 


'0"W 


im 
6  <o 


our  former  attempt,  in  the  year  1827,  were  principally^ 
two  :  ii'st,  and  chiefly,  thj  broken,  ^";ggea,  and  8ot\ 
Ftate  of  the  ice  over  which  we  traveled  :  Mnd  secondly, 
the  drilling  of  the  whole  body  of  ice  in  a  south erly 
direction. 

"  My  amended  plan  is,  to  so  out  with  a  single  ship 
to  Spitzbergen,  just  as  we  did  in  the  Ilecla,  but  not  so 
early  in  the  season  ;  the  object  for  that  year  being 
merely  to  find  secure  winter  quarters  as  far  north  as 
possible.  For  tliis  purpose  it  would  onlj  be  necessary 
to  reach  Hakluyt's  Jleadland  by  the  end  of  June, 
which  would  aflord  ample  leisure  for  examining  the 
more  northern  lands,  especially  about  the  Seven  Islands, 
where,  in  all  probability,  a  secure  nook  might  be  found 
for  the  ship,  and  a  starting  point  for  the  proposed  ex- 
pedition, some  forty  or  hfty  miles  in  advance  of  the 
point  where  the  Ilecla  was  before  laid  up.  The  winter 
might  be  usefully  employed  in  various  preparations  for 
the  journey,  as  well  as  in  magnetic,  astronomical,  and 
meteorological  observations,  of  high  interest  in  that 
latitude.  I  propose  that  the  expedition  should  leave 
the  qhip  in  the  course  of  the  month  of  April,  when  the 
ice  would  present  one  hard  and  unbroken  surface,  over 
which.,  as  I  confidently  believe,  it  would  not  be  difficult 
to  make  good  thirty  mi.  js  per  day,  without  any  expo- 
sure to  wet,  and  probably  without  snow  blindness.  At 
this  season,  too,  tlie  ice  would  probably  be  stationary, 
and  thus  the  two  great  difficulties  which  we  formerly 
had  to  encounter  would  be  entirely  obviated.  It  might 
form  a  part  of  the  plaa  to  pusli  out  supplies  previously, 
to  the  distance  of  100  mile  r,  to  be  taken  up  on  the 
way,  so  as  to  commence  the  journey  comparatively 
light ;  and  as  the  intention  would  be  to  complete  the 
enterprise  in  the  course  of  the  month  of  May,  before 
iiuy  disruption  of  the  ice,  or  any  material  soflening  of 
the  surface  had  taken  place,  similar  supplies  might  be 
sent  out  to  the  same  distance,  to  meet  the  party  on 
their  return." 

The  late  Sir  John  Barrow,  in  his  la^jt  «*orIc,  com- 
menting  on  this,  says,  "  With  i  '^  deference  to  so  dii- 


152 


rROORKHS   OK^AKCTIO   DISCOVERT. 


if':'« 


''1.     J 


^■i  I  pp.' 


'II : 


|:|-;i|  lip; 


t     i«      :■ 


tinguished  a  sea  officer,  in  possession  of  so  much  expe- 
rience as  Sir  Edward  Parry,  there  are  others  who 
express  dislike  of  such  a  plan  ;  and  it  is  not  improba- 
ble that  many  will  be  disposed  to  come  to  the  conclu- 
sion, that  so  long  as  the  Greenland  Seas  are  hampered 
with  ice,  so  long  as  floes,  and  hummocks,  and  heavy 
masses,  continue  to  be  formed,  so  long  as  a  determined 
southerly  current  prevails,  so  long  will  any  attempt  to 
carry  out  the  plan  in  question,  in  like  manner  fail.  Ko 
laborious  drudgery  will  ever  be  able  to  conquer  the 
opposing  piwress  of  the  current  and  the  ice.  liesides, 
it  can  hardly  be  doubted,  this  gallant  officer  will  admit, 
on  further  consideration,  that  this  unusual  kind  of  dis- 
gusting and  unseamanlike  labor,  is  not  precisely  such 
as  would  be  relished  by  the  men  ;  and,  it  may  be  said, 
is  not  exactly  fitted  for  a  British  man-of-war's-man  ; 
moreover,  that  it  required  his  own  all-powerful  example 
to  make  it  even  tolerable."  Sir  John  therefore  sug- 
gested a  somewhat  different  plan.  He  recommended 
that  two  small  ships  should  be  sent  in  the  early  spring 
along  the  western  coast  of  Spitzbergen,  where  usually 
no  impediment  exists,  as  far  up  as  80°.  They  sliould 
take  every  opportunity  of  proceeding  directly  to  tlie 
north,  where,  in  about  82°,  Parry  has  told  us  the  large 
floes  had  disappeared,  and  the  sea  was  found  to  bo 
loaded  only  with  loose,  disconnected,  small  masses  of 
ice,  through  which  ships  would  find  no  difficulty  in 
sailing,  though  totally  unfit  for  boats  dragging ;  and  as 
this  loose  ice  was  drifl;ing  to  the  southwam,  he  further 
says,  that  before  the  miadle  of  August  a  ship  iiight 
have  sailed  up  to  the  latitude  of  82°,  almost  without 
touching  a  piece  of  ice.  It  is  not  then  unreasonable  to 
expect  that  beyond  that  parallel,  even  as  far  as  tlie 
pole  itself,  the  sea  would  be  free  of  ice,  during  the  six 
summer  months  of  perpetual  sun,  through  eacn  of  the 
twenty-four  hours  ;  which,  with  the  aid  of  the  current, 
would,  in  all  probability,  destroy  and  dissipate  the 
polar  ice. 

The  distance  from  Haklnyt's  Headland  to  the  pole 
18  600  jreographical  miles.    Granting  the  8hip«  to  irake 


parry's   FOtiJTn    VOYAGE. 


158 


uld 
the 
kir^e 
So 
of 
in 
d  as 
tlier 
ight 

lOlll 

le  to 
tlie 
six 
the 

lent, 
the 

)ole 
lake 


only  twenty  miles  in  twenty-four  hours,  (on  the  snppo- 
Bition  of  much  sailing  ice  to  go  through,)  even  in  that 
case  it  would  require  but  a  month  to  enable  the  ex- 
j)lorer  to  put  his  foot  on  the  pivot  or  point  of  the  axie 
on  which  the  globe  of  the  earth  turns,  remain  there  u 
month,  if  ncccssarv,  to  obtain  the  sought-for  inforraa 
tion,  and  then,  with  a  southerly  current,  a  fortnight 
probably  less,  would  bring  hira  back  to  Spitzbergen.  * 

In  a  notice  in  the  Quarterly  Review  of  this,  one  of 
the  most  singular  and  perilous  journeys  of  its  kind 
ever  undertaken,  except  perhaps  that  of  Baron  Wran- 
gell  upon  a  similar  enterprise  to  the  northward  of  Behr- 
ing's  Straits,  it  is  observed, — "Let  any  one  conceive 
for  a  moment  the  situation  of  two  open  boats,  laden 
with  seventy  days'  provisions  and  clothing  for  twenty- 
eight  men,  in  the  midst  of  a  sea  coverea  nearly  with 
detached  masses  and  floes  of  ice,  over  which  these 
boats  were  to  be  dragged,  sometimes  up  one  side  of  a 
rugged  mass,  and  down  the  other,  sometimes  across  the 
lanes  of  water  that  separate  them,  frequently  over  a 
surface  covered  with  deep  snow,  or  through  pools  of 
water.  Let  him  bear  in  mind,  that  the  men  had  little 
or  no  chance  of  any  otl  -upply  of  provisions  (nar' 
that  which  they  carried  witii  tln'm  alciilated  aa  ast 
sufficient  to  sustain  life,  and  coiib"  r  what  their  situa- 
tion would  have  been  in  the  event,  hj  no  means  an 
improbable  one,  of  losing  any  part  of  their  scanty 
stock.  Let  any  one  try  to  imagine  to  himself  a  siiua- 
tion  of  this  kind,  and  he  will  stul  have  but  faint  idea 
of  the  exertions  which  the  men  under  Captain  Parry 
had  to  make,  and  the  sufferings  and  privationp  they 
had  to  undergo." 

Captain  Parry  having  thus  completed  his  .iith  voy- 
age into  the  arctic  regions,  in  four  of  which  he  com- 
manded, and  was  second  in  the  other,  it  may  here  be 
desirable  to  give  a  recapitulation  of  his  services. 

In  1818  he  was  appointed  Lieutenant,  commanding 
the  Alexander,  hired  ship,  as  second  officer  with  his 
uncle,  Commander  John  Koss.    In  1819,  still  as  Lieu- 

•  Barrow's  Voyages  of  Discovery,  p.  316. 


154 


PROGRESS  OP  AROnO  DISCOVERT. 


M 


'm 


!!■ 


I;'  Hi 


urn  : 


i*  !^"- ! 


tenant,  he  was  appointed  to  command  the  Hecla,  and 
to  take  charge  of  tne  second  arctic  expedition,  on  which 
service  he  was  employed  two  years.  On  the  14th  of 
November,  1820,  ne  was  promoted  to  the  rank  of 
Commander. 

On  the  19th  of  December,  1820,  the  Bedfordean 
Gold  Medal  of  the  Bath  and  West  of  England  Society 
for  the  EncoTirag  ment  of  Arts,  Manufactures,  and 
Commerce,  was  unanimously  voted  to  him.  On  the 
30th  of  December  of  that  year,  he  was  appointed  to 
the  Fury,  with  orders  to  take  command  of  tne  expedi- 
tion to  the  Arctic  Sea.  With  the  sum  of  600  guineas, 
subscribed  for  the  purpose,  "  the  Explorer  of  the  Polar 
Sea  "  was  afterward  presented  with  a  silver  vase, 
highly  embellished  with  devices  emblematic  of  the 
arctic  voyages.  And  on  the  24th  of  March,  1821,  the 
city  of  Bath  presented  its  freedom  to  Captain  Parry,  in 
a  box  of  oak,  highly  and  appropriately  ornamented. 
On  the  8th  of  November,  1821,  he  obtained  his  post- 
captain's  rank.  On  the  22d  of  November,  1823,  he 
was  presented  with  the  freedom  of  the  city  of  Win- 
chester ;  and,  on  the  1st  of  December,  was  appointed 
acting  hydrographer  to  the  Admiralty  in  the  place  of 
Captain  Hind,  deceased.  In  1824  he  was  appointed  to 
the  Hecla,  to  proceed  on  another  exploring  voyage. 

On  the  22d  of  November,  1825,  Captam  Parry  was 
formally  appointed  hydrographer  to  the  Admiralty, 
which  office  he  continued  to  hold  until  the  lOtii  of 
November,  1826. 

In  December,  1825,  ho  was  voted  the  freedom  of  the 
borough  of  Lynn,  in  testimony  of  the  high  sense  enter 
tained  by  the  corporation  of  his  meritorious  and  enter 
prising  conduct. 

In  April,  1827,  he  once  more  took  the  command  of 
his  old  ship,  the  Ilechi,  for  another  voyage  of  discovery 
toward  the  North  Pole.  On  his  return  in  the  close  of 
the  year,  having  paid  off  the  Hecla  at  Deptford,  h« 
resumed,  on  the  2a  of  November,  his  duties  as  hydro- 
grapher to  the  Admiralty,  which  office  he  held  unti! 
♦he  13th  of  May,  1829.    Having  received  the  lv»uor  of 


CA.ITAIN    R0S8  S    SECOND    VOYAGE. 


155 


the 
[er 
ler 


knighthood,  he  then  resigned  in  favor  of  the  present 
Admiral  Beaufort,  and,  obtaining  permission  from  tlie 
Admiralty,  proceeded  to  New  South  Wales  as  resident 
Commissioner  to  the  Australian  Agricultural  Com 
pany,  taking  charge  of  their  recently  acquired  lar«i;e 
territory  in  the  neighborhood  of  Port  Stephen,  lie 
returned  from  Australia  in  1834.  From  the  7th  vt' 
March,  1835,  to  the  3d  of  February,  1836,  he  acted  as 
Poor  Law  Commissioner  in  Norfolk.  Early  in  1837, 
he  was  appointed  to  organize  the  Mail  Packet  Service, 
then  transferred  to  the  Admiralty,  and  afterward,  in 
April,  was  appointed  Controller  of  steam  machinery  to 
the  Navy,  which  office  he  continued  to  hold  up  to  De- 
cember, 1846.  From  that  period  to  the  present  time 
he  has  filled  the  post  of  Captain  Superintendent  of  the 
Royal  Navy  Hospital  at  Haslar. 

Captain  John  Ross's  Second  Voyage,  1829-33. 

In  the  year  1829,  Capt.  Ross,  the  pioneer  of  arctic 
exploration  in  the  19th  century,  being  anxious  once 
more  to  display  his  zeal  and  enterprise  as  well  as  to 
retrieve  his  nautical  reputation  from  those  unfortunate 
blunders  and  mistakes  which  had  attached  to  his  first 
voyage,  and  thus  remove  the  cloud  which  had  fur 
nearly  ten  years  hung  over  his  professional  charactei", 
endeavored  without  efl'ect  to  induce  the  government 
to  send  him  out  to  the  Polar  Seas  in  charge  of  another 
expedition.  The  Board  of  Admiralty  of  that  day,  in 
the  spirit  of  retrenchment  which  pervaded  their  coun- 
cils, were,  however,  not  disposed  to  recommend  any 
further  grant  for  research,  even  the  Board  of  Longi- 
tude was  abolished,  and  the  boon  of  20,000^.  offered 
by  act  of  parliament  for  the  promotion  of  arctic  dis 
cuvery,  also  withdrawn  by  a  repeal  of  the  act. 

Captain  Ross,  however,  undaunted  by  the  chilling 
iudinerence  thus  manifested  toward  his  proposals  by 
the  Admiralty,  still  persevered,  having  devoted  3000/. 
out  of  his  own  funds  toward  the  prosecution  of  the  ob- 
ject he  had  in  view.  lie  was  fortunate  enough  tc 
10  G 


,: 


156 


PKOORESS   OF    AUCTIC    UlSCOVEKT. 


M 


m 


!Tm 


ti.{ 


meet  with  a  public-spirited  and  afflu«»nt  coadjutoi  And 
Bupporter  in  the  late  Sir  Felix  Booth,  the  eminen  dis- 
tiller,  and  that  gentleman  nobly  contributed  17,000^. 
toward  the  expenses.  Captain  Boss  thereupon  set  to 
work,  and  purchased  a  small  Liverpool  steamer  named 
the  Victory,  whose  tonnage  he  increased  to  160  tons. 
She  was  provisioned  for  three  years.  Captain  Ross 
chose  for  his  second  in  command  his  nephew.  Com* 
niander  James  Eoss,  who  had  been  with  him  on  his 
first  arctic  expedition,  and  had  subsequently  accompa- 
nied Parry  in  all  his  voyages.  The  other  officers  of  the 
vessel  were  —  Mr.  William  Thom,  purser  ;  Mr.  George 
M'Diarmid,  surgeon ;  Thomas  BlanKy,Tho8.  Abernethy, 
and  George  Taylor,  as  1st,  2d,  and  3d,  mates  ;  Alex- 
ander Brunton  and  Allen  Macinnes  as  1st  and  2d  engi- 
neers ;  and  nineteen  petty  officers  and  seamen ;  making 
a  complement  in  all  of  28  men. 

The  Admiralty  furnished  toward  the  purposes  of  the 
expedition  a  decked  boat  of  sixteen  tons,  called  the 
Krusenstern,  and  two  boats  which  had  been  used  by 
Franklin,  with  a  stock  of  books  and  instruments. 

The  vessel  being  reported  ready  for  sea  was  visited 
and  examined  by  the  late  King  of  the  French,  the 
Lords  of  the  Admiralty,  and  other  parties  taking  an 
interest  in  the  expedition,  and  set  sail  from  Woolwich 
on  the  2Jd  of  May,  1829.  For  all  practical  purposes 
the  steam  machinery,  on  which  the  commander  had 
greatly  relied,  was  foimd  on  trial  utterlv  useless. 

Having  received  much  damage  to  her  spars,  in  a 
severe  gale,  the  ship  put  in  to  the  Danish  settlement  of 
Ilolsteinberg,  on  the  Greenland  coast,  to  refit,  and 
sailed  again  to  the  northward  on  the  26th  of  June. 
They  found  a  clear  sea,  and  even  in  the  middle  of  Lan- 
caster Sound  and  Barrow's  Strait  perceived  no  traces 
of  ice  or  snow,  except  what  appeared  on  the  lofty  sum- 
mits of  some  of  the  mountains.  The  thermometer  stood 
at  40°,  and  the  weather  was  so  mild  that  the  officers 
dined  in  the  cabin  without  a  fire,  with  the  skylight 
partially  open.  On  the  10th  of  August  they  passed 
Cape  York,  and  thence  crossed  over  into  Eegent  Inlf  ^ 


OASTAIH  KO&BiS  bEtVJ!fD   VOVAaA. 


157 


If  ^ 


aiaking  the  westeiii  coast  between  Sepping's  and  Elwin 
Bay  on  the  16th. 

They  here  fell  in  with  those  formidable  streams 
packs,  and  floating  bergs  of  ice  which  had  oliured  suet 
obstructions  to  Parry's  ships.  From  their  proximity  tc 
the  magnetic  pole,  their  compasses  became  useless  as 
they  proceeded  southward.  On  tbc  13th  they  reached 
the  spot  where  the  Fury  was  abanaoned,  but  no  rem 
nants  of  the  vessel  were  to  bt*  seen.  All  her  sails, 
stores,  and  provisions,  on  land,  were,  however,  found  ; 
the  hermetically-sealed  tin  canisters  having  kept  tht 
provisions  from  the  attacks  of  bears  ;  and  the  flour 
bread,  wine,  spirits,  sugar,  &c.,  proved  as  good,  aftei 
being  here  four  years,  as  on  the  first  day  they  were 
packed.  This  store  formed  a  very  seasonable  addition, 
which  was  freely  made  available,  and  after  increasing 
their  stock  to  two  years  and  ten  months'  supply,  the^ 
still  left  a  large  quantity  for  the  wants  of  any  future 
exj)lorer8.  On  the  15th,  crossing  Cresswell  Bay,  they 
reached  Cape  Garry,  the  farthest  point  which  had  been 
seen  by  Parry.  They  were  here  much  inconvenienced 
and  delayed  by  fogs  and  floating  ice.  While  moun- 
tains of  ice  were  tossing  around  them  on  every  side, 
they  were  often  forced  to  seek  safety  by  mooring  them- 
selves to  these  formidable  masses,  and  drifting  with 
them,  sometimes  forward,  sometimes  backward.  In  thia 
manner  on  one  occasion  no  less  thnn  nineteen  miles 
were  lost  in  a  few  hours ;  at  other  times  they  under- 
went frequent  and  severe  shocks,  yet  escaped  any  seri- 
ous damage. 

Captain  Ross  draws  a  lively  picture  of  what  a  ves- 
sel endures  in  sailing  among  these  movmt^  hills.  IIo 
reminds  the  rettder  that  ice  is  stone,  as  solid  as  if  it 
were  granite  ;  and  he  bids  him  "  imagine  these  moun- 
tains burled  through  a  narrow  strait  by  a  rapid  tide, 
meeting  with  the  noise  of  thunder,  breaking  from  each 
other's  precipices  huge  fragments,  or  rendinfy  each 
other  asunder,  till,  losing  their  former  equilibrium, 
they  fell  over  headlong,  lifting  the  sea  around  in  break- 
ers and  whirling  it  m  eddies.    There  is  not  a  moment 


158 


FBOOBESB   OF  AKOTIO  OISCOV£fi,r. 


In  which  it  can  be  conjectured  what  will  happen  in  the 
next ;  there  is  not  one  which  may  not  be  the  last.  The 
attention  is  troubled  to  iix  on  any  thing  amid  such  cod 
fusion  ;  still  must  it  be  alive,  that  it  may  seize  un  the 
single  moment  of  help  or  escape  which  may  occur 
Yet  with  all  this,  and  it  is  the  hardest  task  of  all,  there 
is  nothing  to  be  acted, —  no  effort  to  be  made, —  ha 
must  be  patient,  as  if  he  were  unconcerned  or  careless, 
waiting,  as  he  best  can,  for  the  fate,  be  it  what  it  may, 
which  ne  cannot  influence  or  avoid." 

•Proceeding  southward,  Koss  found  Brentford  Bay, 
about  thirty  miles  beyond  Cape  Garry,  to  be  of  consid- 
erable extent,  with  some  fine  harbors.  Landing  here, 
the  British  colors  were  unfurled,  and  the  coast,  named 
after  the  promoter  of  the  expedition,  was  taken  posses- 
sion-of  in  the  name  of  the  King.  Extensive  and  com- 
modious harbors,  named  Ports  Logan,  Elizabeth,  and 
Eclipse,  were  discovered,  and  a  large  bay,  which  was 
called  Mary  Jones  Bay.  By  the  end  of  September 
the  ship  had  examined  300  miles  of  undiscovered  coast 
The  winter  now  set  in  with  severity,  huge  masses  of 
ice  began  to  close  around  them,  the  thermometer  sani 
many  degrees  below  freezing  point,  and  snow  fell  very 
thick.  By  sawing  through  the  ice,  the  vessel  was  got 
into  a  secure  position  to  pass  the  winter,  in  a  station 
which  is  now  named  on  tlie  maps  Felix  Harbor.  The 
n\achinery  of  the  st^am  engine  was  done  away  with, 
the  vessel  housed,  and  every  measure  that  could  add  to 
the  comfort  of  the  crew  adopted.  They  had  abundance 
of  fuel,  and  provisions  that  might  easily  be  extended 
to  three  years. 

On  the  9th  of  January,  1831,  they  were  visited  by  a 
large  tribe  of  Esquimaux,  who  were  better  dressed  and 
cleaner  than  those  more  to  the  northward.  They  dis- 
played an  intimate  acquaintance  with  the  situation  and 
uearings  of  the  country  over  which  they  had  traveled, 
and  two  of  them  drew  a  very  fair  sketch  of  the  neigh- 
boring coasts,  with  which  they  were  familiar  ;  thia 
was  revised  and  corrected  by  a  learned  lady  named 
Teriksin, —  the  females  seeming,  from  this  and  former 


aii'J^iiii'SfiMfflgjh'l'"'''''"^  ■"'"''  eg 


CAPTAIN   ROSS's   SECOND  TOTAOB. 


159 


mce 
ided 

land 
dis- 
land 
ked, 
ligli- 
Itnia 
led 


Instunccs,  to  have  a  clear  knowledge  of  the  hydrography 
and  geography  of  the  continent,  Days,  straits,  and  riv 
era  wLicTi  they  had  once  traversed. 

On  the  6th  of  April,  Commander  Ross,  with  Mr, 
Blanky,  the  chief  mate,  and  two  Esquimaux  guides,  set 
out  to  explore  a  strait  which  was  reported  as  lying  to 
the  Westward,  and  which  it  was  hoped  might  lead  to 
the  western  sea.  After  a  tedious  and  arduous  journey 
they  arrived,  on  the  tl^ird  day,  at  a  bay  facing  to  tne 
westwartl  and  discovered,  further  inland,  an  extensive 
lake,  called  by  the  natives  Nie-tyle-le,  whence  a  broad 
river  flowed  into  the  bay.  Their  guides  informed  them, 
however,  there  was  no  prospect  of  a  water  comunica- 
tion  south  of  their  present  position.  Capt.  Ross  then 
traced  the  coast  fifty  or  sixty  miles  further  south. 

Several  journeys  were  also  made  by  Commander 
Ross,  both  inland  and  along  the  bays  and  inlets.  On 
the  Ist  of  May,  frotn  the  top  of  a  high  hill,  he  observed 
a  large  inlet,  which  seemed  to  lead  to  the  western  sea. 
In  order  to  satisfy  himself  on  this  point,  he  set  out 
again  on  the  17th  of  May,  with  provisions  for  three 
weeks,  eight  dogs,  and  tnree  companions.  Having 
crossed  the  great  middle  lake  of  the  isthmus,  he  reached 
his  former  station,  and  thence  traced  an  inlet  which 
was  found  to  be  the  mouth  of  a  river  named  by  them 
Garry.  From  the  high  hill,  they  observed  a  chain  of 
lakes  leading  almost  to  Thorn's  feay,  the  Victory's  sta- 
tion in  Felix  Harbor.  Proceeding  northwest  along  the 
coast,  they  crossed  the  frozen  surface  of  the  strait  which 
has  since  been  named  after  Sir  James  Ross,  and  came 
to  a  large  island  which  was  called  Matty  ;  keeping 
along  its  northern  shore,  and  passing  over  a  narrow 
strait,  which  they  named  after  Wellington,  they  found 
themselves  on  what  was  considered  to  be  the  main- 
land, but  which  the  more  recent  discoveries  of  Simpson 
have  shown  to  be  an  island,  and  which  now  bears  the 
name  of  King  William's  Land.  Still  journeying  on- 
ward, with  difficulties  continually  increasing,  from 
heavy  toil  and  severe  privation,  the  dogs  became  ex- 
hausted with  fatigue,  and  a  burden  rather  than  an  a»d 
to  the  travelers. 


1 


w5     ^ 


If 


160 


PROGRESS   OF   ARCTIO   DISCOVERT. 


I 

r*  Iff 

li 


%■ 


i;f 


I 


One  of  their  greatest  embarrassments  was,  how  to 
distinguish  between  land  and  sea.  "  When  aU  is  ice, 
and  all  one  dazzling  mass  of  white  —  when  the  surface 
of  the  sea  itself  is  tossed  up  and  fixed  into  rocks,  while 
tlie  land  is,  on  the  contrary,  very  often  flat,  it  is  not 
always  so  easy  a  problem  as  it  might  seem  on  a  super- 
ficial view,  to  determine  a  fact  which  appears  in  words 
to  be  extremely  simple."  Although  their  provisions 
began  to  fall  short,  and  the  party  were  nearly  worn 
out.  Commander  Boss  was  most  desirous  of  matdng  as 
much  western  discovery  as  possible ;  therefore,  depos- 
iting every  thi-ig  that  could  be  dispensed  with,  he 
pushed  on,  on  the  28th,  with  only  four  aays'  provisions, 
and  reached  Cape  Felix,  the  most  northern  point  of 
this  island,  on  the  following  day.  The  coast  here  took 
a  southwest  direction,  and  there  was  an  unbounded  ex- 
panse of  ocean  in  view.  The  next  morning,  after  hav- 
mg  traveled  twenty  miles  farther,  they  reacted  a  point, 
which  Ross  called  Point  Victory,  situated  in  lat.  64* 
^0'  19",  long.  98°  32'  49",  while  to  the  most  distant  one 
in  view,  estimated  to  be  in  long.  99°  17'  68",  he  gave 
the  name  of  Cape  Franklin.  However  loath  to  turn 
back,  yet  prudence  compelled  them  to  do  so,  for  as 
they  had  only  ten  days'  short  allowance  of  food,  and 
more  than  200  miles  to  traverse,  there  could  not  bo  a 
moment's  hesitation  in  adopting  this  step.  A  high 
cairn  of  stones  was  erected  before  leaving,  in  which 
was  deposited  a  narrative  of  their  proceedings. 

The  party  endured  much  fatigue  and  suffering  on 
their  return  journey ;  of  the  ei^t  dogs  only  two  sur- 
vived, and  the  travelers  in  a  most  exhaustea  state  a: 
rived  in  the  neighborhood  of  the  large  lakes  on  the  8th 
of  June,  where  they  fortunately  fell  in  with  a  tribe  of 
natives,  who  received  them  hospitably,  and  supplied 
them  plentifully  with  fish,  so  that  after  a  day's  rest 
they  resumed  tneir  I'oumey,  and  reached  the  ship  on 
the  13th.    Captain  Ross  in  the  meanwhile  had  made  a 

f)artial  survey  of  the  Isthmus,  and  discovered  another 
arge  lake,  wnich  he  named  after  Lady  Melville. 
After  eleven  months'  imprisonment  their  little  ship 


"iiaa^SS 


OArTAlJN    KOSS'S   (8EC0ND    VOTAOE. 


161 


once  more  floated  bnoyaot  on  the  waves,  having  been 
released  from  her  icy  barrier  on  the  17th  of  September, 
but  for  the  next  few  days  made  but  little  progress, 
being  beaten  about  among  the  icebergs,  ana  driven 
hither  and  thither  by  the  currents. 

A  change  in  the  weather,  however,  took  place,  and 
on  the  23(1  they  were  once  more  frozen  in,  the  sea  in  & 
woek  after  exhibiting  one  clear  and  unbroken  surface. 
A.11  October  was  passed  in  cutting  through  the  ice  into 
a  more  secure  locality,  and  another  dreary  winter  hav- 
ing set  in,  it  became  necessary  to  reduce  the  allowance 
of  provisions.  This  winter  was  one  of  unparallelcO 
severity,  tl  e  thermometer  falling  92°  below  freeziii^j; 
point.  During  the  ensuing  spring  a  variety  of  explo 
ratory  journeys  were  carried  on,  and  in  one  of  those 
Commander  Ross  succeeded  in  planting  the  British 
flag  on  the  North  Magnetic  Pole.  The  position  which 
had  been  usually  assigned  to  this  interesting  spot  hy 
the  learned  of  Europe,  was  lat.  70°  N.,  and  long.  98^ 
80'  W. ;  but  Ross,  by  careful  observations,  determined 
it  to  lie  in  lat.  70°  5'  17"  N.,  and  long.  96°  46'  45"  W., 
to  the  southward  of  Cape  Nikolai,  on  the  western  shore 
of  Boothia.  But  it  has  since  been  foimd  that  the  cen- 
ter of  magnetic  intensity  is  a  movable  point  revolving 
within  the  frigid  zone^ 

"  The  place  of  the  observatorv,"  Ross  remarks, "  was 
as  near  to  the  magnetic  pole  as  the  limited  means  which 
I  possessed  enabled  me  to  determine.  The  amount  of 
the  dip,  as  indicated  by  my  dipping-needle,  was  89° 
59',  being  thus  within  one  minute  of  the  vertical ; 
while  the  proximity  at  least  of  this  pole,  if  not  its  ac- 
tual existence  where  we  stood,  was  further  confirmed 
by  the  action,  or  rather  by  the  total  inaction,  of  the 
several  horizontal  needles  then  in  my  possession." 

Parry's  observations  placed  it  eleven  minutes  distant 
only  from  the  site  determined  by  Ross. 

"  Vs  soon,"  continues  Ross,  "  as  I  had  satisfied  my 
own  «nind  on  the  subject,  I  made  known  to  the  ]mvty 
this  gratifying  resul*  oi  all  our  joint  labors;  and  it  was 
then  tVftt  amidst  mutual  congratulations,  wo  fixed  thv 


162 


PROGKE88   OF  AROTIO   DISCOVERT. 


mm 


B  ill 

^M  '  :h  ..'lu.  iM  I'll'-' 


1 


British  Ang  on  the  spot,  and  took  possession  of  tho 
North  Mjignetic  Pole  and  its  adjoining  territory  in  tliu 
name  of  Sreat  Britain  and  King  Williiun  JV.  Wo 
had  abundance  of  materials  for  uuilding  in  tlie  fra^'- 
ments  of  limestone  that  covered  the  beach,  and  \vu 
therefore  erected  a  cairn  of  some  magnitude,  under 
which  we  buried  a  canister  containing  a  record  of  the 
interesting  fact,  only  regretting  that  we  had  not  the 
means  of  constructing  a  pyramid  of  more  im])()rtancc, 
and  of  strength  sufficient  to  withstand  the  assaults  of 
time  and  of  the  Esquimaux.  Had  it  been  a  pyramid 
as  large  as  that  of  Cheops,  I  am  not  quite  sure  that  it 
woula  have  done  more  than  satisfy  our  ambition  under 
the  feelings  of  that  exciting  day." 

On  the  28th  of  August,  1831,  they  contrived  to  warp 
the  Victory  out  into  the  open  sea,  and  made  sail  on 
the  followmg  morning,  but  were  soon  beset  with  ice, 
as  on  the  former  occasion,  being  once  more  completely 
frozen  in  by  the  27th  of  September. 

On  the  previous  occasion  their  navigation  had  been 
three  miles;  this  year  it  extended  to  four.  This  j)ro- 
tracted  detention  in  the  ice  made  their  present  posi- 
tion one  of  great  danger  and  peril.  As  there  seemed 
no  prospect  of  extracting  their  vessel,  the  resolution 
was  come  to  of  abandoning  her,*  and  making  the  best 
of  their  way  up  the  inlet  to  Fury  Beach,  there  to  avail 
themselves  of  the  boats,  provisions,  and  stores,  M'hi'^h 
would  assist  them  in  reaching  Davis'  Straits,  where 
they  might  expect  to  fall  in  with  one  of  the  whale 
ships. 

On  the  23d  of  April,  1832,  having  collected  all  that 
was  useful  and  necessary,  the  expedition  set  out,  drag- 
ging their  provisions  and  boats  over  a  vast  expanse  of 
rugged  ice.  "The  loads  being  too  heavy  to  be  car- 
ried at  once,  made  it  necessary  to  go  backward  and 
forward  twice,  and  even  oftener,  the  same  day.  Tl»ey 
had  to  encounter  dreadful  tempests  of  snow  and  dnv\ 
and  to  make  several  circuits  in  order  to  avoid  iui])a* 
sable  barriers.  The  general  result  was,  that  by  the 
I2th  of  May  they  had  traveled  329  miles  to  gain  thirtv 


CAPTAIN   aOSS'S   SECOND   VOTAOK. 


16a 


'ail 

lero 
lale 

Ihat 
;ar-  - 

the 
Irtv 


in  a  direct  line,  having  in  this  labor  expended  a 
month."  After  this  prelmiinary  movement,  thev  bade 
a  farewell  to  their  little  vessel,  nailing  her  coLrs  tu 
the  mast.  Capt.  l^oss  describes  himself  as  deeply  af- 
fected ;  this  bein^  t?ie  first  vessel  he  had  been  omiged 
to  abandon  of  thirty-six  in  which  he  had  served  dur 
ing  the  course  of  fort)  -two  years.  On  the  9th  of  Juno 
Comiuander  Eoss  and  two  others,  with  a  fortnight*^ 
j)rovi8ious,  left  the  main  body,  who  were  more  heav 
ily  loaded,  to  ascertain  the  state  of  the  boats  and  sup- 
plies at  Fury  Beach.  Returning  they  met  their  com- 
rades on  tlie  25th  of  June,  reporting  that  they  hud 
found  three  of  the  boats  washed  away,  but  enough  siill 
left  for  their  purpose,  and  all  the  provisions  were  in 
good  condition.  The  remainder  of  the  journey  was 
accomplished  by  the  whole  party  in  a  week,  and  on 
the  1st  of  July  they  reared  a  canvas  mansion,  to 
which  they  gave  the  name  of  Somerset  House,  and 
enjoyed  a  hearty  meal. 

By  tl»e  1st  of  August  the  boats  were  rendered  ser- 
viceable, and  a  considerable  extent  of  open  fe  'la  being 
visible,  they  set  out,  and  after  much  buneting  among 
the  ice  in  their  frail  shallops,  reached  the  mouth  of 
the  inlet  by  the  end  of  August.  After  several  fruit- 
less attempts  to  run  along  Barrow's  Strait,  the  obstruc- 
tions of  the  ice  obliged  them  to  haul  the  boats  on  shore, 
and  pitch  their  tents.  Barrow's  Strait  was  found,  from 
repeated  surveys,  to  be  one  impenetrable  mass  of  ice. 
After  lingering  here  till  the  third  week  in  September, 
it  was  unanimously  agreed  that  their  only  resource 
was  to  fall  back  on  the  stores  at  Fury  Beach,  and  there 
spend  their  fourth  winter.  They  were  only  able  to  get 
half  the  distance  in  the  boats,  which  were  hauled  on 
shore  in  Batty  Bay  on  the  24th  of  September,  and 
the  rest  of  their  journey  continued  on  foot,  the  pro- 
visions being  dragged  on  sledges.  On  the  7th  of  Oc- 
tober they  once  more  reached  their  home  at  the  scene 
of  the  wreck.  They  now  managed  to  shelter  their 
canvas  tent  by  a  wall  of  snow,  and  setting  up  an  ex- 
tra stove  made  themselves  tolerably  comfortable  until 


^ 


164 


rUOOUWrt   Oir    AlUrrH;    lUHCoVfcllT. 


% . 


,.   ■! 


14. 

'I 


I*-  -:•- 


\ 


tlia  iticrotisinu;  novorily  of  tho  winter,  nnd  rigor  of 
the  coWy  julAod  to  tho  toni|»«Htuous  woatlior,  nuido 
tliem  ]>orroct  priBotiors,  luni  soroly  tried  tiioir  pivtionco. 
8curvy  now  beiran  to  attuck  Bovoral  of  tho  party,  and 
on  tiio  lOtli  of  Pobrniiry,  1833,  Tlionias,  tho  caroontor, 
fell  11  victim  to  it,  and  two  »)tliora  died.  "Their  bitu- 
ution  waa  becoming  trnly  awfnl,  since,  if  they  were 
not  liberated  in  the  ojmning  Mntnnier,  little  proHpect 
ttp[>eared  of  their  Hnrviviiiji;  another  year.  It  was 
necessity  to  make  ft  retlnction  in  the  allowance  of 
preserved  meats;  broad  was  Boniowhat  doliciont,  and 
the  stock  of  wine  and  flpirits  vvaH  entirely  exhauHled. 
]!owevor,  }i8  they  canj^ht  a  few  foxes,  which  were  con- 
ridered  a  delicacy,  and  there  was  plenty  of  tlonr, 
sugar,  sonps,  and  vegetables,  a  diet  could  bo  easily 
arranged  sutlicient  to  support  the  parhy." 

While  tho  ice  remained  tirm,  auvantage  was  taken 
of  tho  spring  to  carry  forward  a  stock  of  provisions  to 
Hatty  Hay,  and  this,  though  only  thirty-two  miles,  oc- 
cupied them  a  whole  month,  owing  to  their  reduced 
numboi'S  from  sickness  and  heavy  loads,  with  the  jour- 
neyingis  to  and  fro.  having  to  go  over  tho  ground  eight 
times. 

On  tho  8th  of  July  they  iinally  abandoned  this  de- 
pot, and  encamped  on  the  12th  at  their  boat  station  u? 
mtty  Bay,  whore  the  aspect  of  tho  sea  was  watched 
with  intense  anxiety  for  more  than  a  month.  On  the 
15th  of  August,  taking  advantage  of  a  lann  of  water 
which  led  to  the  northward,  tho  party  embarked,  and 
on  tho  following  mornitig  had  got  as  far  as  tho  turn- 
ing point  of  their  last  year's  expedition.  Making  their 
wav  slowlv  among  the  masooa  of  ico  with  which  the 
inlet  was  encumbered,  on  the  17th  they  found  the  wide 
expanse  of  Barrow's  Stuait  open  before  them,  and  rtav- 
vablo,  and  reached  to  within  twelve  miles  of  Capo 
iTork.  Pushing  on  with  renewed  spirits,  alternately 
:.iwing  and  sailing,  on  the  night  of  tho  25th  they 
.ested  in  a  good  harbor  on  the  eastern  shore  of  Navy 
Board  Inlet.  At  four  on  the  following  morning  thev 
Were  rou*'sd  frori  their  slumbers  by  the  joyful  intelli 


[m    h.^ JgEliJJMPJPHIMlHil 


OArrAIN    K0HBir3   BlCtJCJNb   VOYAOK. 


106 


V  of 

3UC0. 

,  jind 
inter, 

wore 

t  was 
CO  «f 
t,  iind 
ufitod. 
0  con- 
tour, 
easily 

taluMJ 
ions  to 
les,  OC- 

e  jour- 
oi^i»t 

19  do- 
ion  ii> 
atched 
On  t,\ie 

water 
d,  and 
)  turn- 
g  thoir 
ch  the 
le  wido 

d  Tlav- 
|f  Cape 

nately 

they 

Navy 

g  thev 

intelli 


goncc  of  a  ship  being  in  wiglit,  and  never  did  men 
more  Inirriediy  and  oriergeticilly  set  out;  hut  the  ele- 
n)entH  couRpiring  agaiuHt  them,  after  being  baflled  by 
cahuH  and  currentH,  tliey  had  the  minery  to  Hee  the 
fillip  leave  them  wiMi  a  lair  breeze,  and  found  it  im 
poRfiihle  to  overtake  her,  or  make  themHelves  Hccn.  A 
few  houiii  later,  however,  their  deH|)air  waw  relieved  by 
the  sight  of  another  veHnel  which  wan  lying  to  in  a  calm, 
liy  dint  of  hard  rowing  they  were  thin  time  more  for 
tunate,  and  soon  came  up  with  her;  nhe  j)rovcd  to  be 
the  iHabella,  of  Hull,  the  very  bhip  in  which  IIohh  had 
made  his  firBt  voyage  to  thcHo  ReaH.  Capt.  Uohh  wan 
told  circumHtantially  of  IiIh  own  dca'n,  &c.,  two  yvm'H 
previously,  and  he  luid  nome  difliculty  in  convincing 
them  that  it  was  really  he  and  his  party  who  now  HtoocJ 
before  them.  So  great  was  the  joy  with  which  they 
were  received,  that  the  Iflabella  manned  her  yardH, 
and  lior  former  commander  and  hifi  gallant  band  of 
adventurers  were  saluted  with  three  hearty  cheerR. 
The  scene  on  board  can  scarcely  be  dcRcribed  ;  each 
of  the  crew  vied  wiia  the  other  in  aesiHting  and  com- 
forting the  i)arty,  and  it  cannot  better  be  told  than  in 
RoRs's  own  words :  — 

"The  ludicrous  soon  took  place  of  all  other  feolingB  ; 
in  such  a  crowds  and  such  confusion,  all  seriouH  thought 
was  impossible,  while  llie  new  buoyancy  of  our  spirits 
made  us  abundantly  willing  to  be  amused  by  the  scene 
which  now  opened.  Every  man  was  hungry,  and  was 
to  be  fed  ;  all  were  ragged,  and  were  to  be  clothed  ; 
there  was  not  one  to  wnom  washing  was  not  indispen- 
sable, nor  one  whom  his  beard  did  not  deprive  of  all 
human  scr  lolance.  All,  every  thing  too,  was  to  be  done 
at  once  :  it  was  washing,  shaving,  dressing,  eating,  all 
intermingled  ;  it  was  all  the  materials  of  each  jumbled 
together,  while  in  the  midst  of  all  there  w^re  intermina- 
ble questions  to  bo  a^ked  and  answered  on  both  sides  ' 
the  adventures  of  the  Victory,  our  own  escapes,  the 
politics  of  England,  and  the  news  which  was  now  four 
yea'iB  old. 

*•  But  all  subsided  into  peace  at  last.    The  sick  woir 


I 


« 


Hd 


PROGRESS   OP   ARCrriC    DISCJOVERT. 


i^' 


fttjcommoclated,  the  seamon  disposed  of,  aud  all  was 
done  tor  us  which  care  and  kindness  could  perform. 

"  Night  at  length  brought  quiet  and  serious  thoughts, 
and  I  trust  there  was  not  a  man  among  us  who  did  not 
then  express,  where  it  was  due,  his  gratitude  for  that 
interposition  which  had  raised  us  all  from  a  despair 
which  none  could  now  forget,  and  had  brought  us  from 
the  very  borders  of  a  most  distant  grave,  to  life  and 
fi'iends  and  civilization.  Long  accustomed,  however, 
to  a  cold  bed  on  the  hard  snow  or  the  bare  rock,  few 
could  sleep  amid  the  comfort  of  our  new  accommoda- 
tions. I  was  myself  compelled  to  leave  the  bed  which 
had  been  kindly  assigned  me,  and  take  my  abode  in  a 
chair  for  the  night,  nor  did  it  fare  much  better  with  the 
rest.  It  was  for  time  to  reconcile  us  to  this  sudden  and 
violent  change,  to  break  through  what  had  become 
habit,  and  inure  us  once  more  to  the  usages  of  our 
former  days.'* 

The  Isabella  remained  some  time  longer  to  prosecute 
the  fishery,  and  left  Davis'  Strait  on  her  homeward 
passage  on  the  30th  September.  On  the  12th  of  Oc- 
tober they  made  the  Orkney  Islands,  and  arrived  at 
Hull  on  the  18th.  Tlie  bold  explorers,  who  had  long 
been  given  up  as  lost,  were  looked  upon  as  men  risen 
from  the  grave,  and  met  and  escorted  by  crowds  of 
sympathizers.  A  public  entertainment  was  given  to 
them  by  the  townspeople,  at  which  the  freedom  of  the 
town  was  presented  to  Captain  Ross,  and  next  day  he 
left  for  London,  to  report  to  the  Admiralty,  and  was 
honored  by  a  presentation  to  the  king  at  W  indsor. 

The  Admiralty  liberally  rewarded  all  the  parties, 
except  indeed  Captain  Ross.  Commander  J.  C.  Rosa 
was  appointed  to  the  guardship  at  Portsmouth  to  com- 
plete his  period  of  service,  and  then  received  his  post 
rank.  Mr.  Thorn,  the  purser,  Mr.  M'Diarraid,  the.  sur- 
geon, and  the  petty  officers,  were  appointed  to  good 
situations  in  the  navy.  The  seamen  received  the  usual 
double  pay  given  to  arctic  explorers,  up  to  the  time 
of  leaving  their  ship,  and  full  pay  from  that  date  until 
their  arrival  in  England. 


i  I' 


CAPTAIN   Ross's   SECOND  VOYAGE. 


167 


Irties, 

iRosa 
I  com- 
post 
siir- 
igood 
baual 
time 
luuti] 


A  committee  of  the  House  of  Commons  took  up  the 
case  of  Captain  Ross  early  in  the  session  of  1834,  and 
on  their  recommendation  5,000/. was  granted  him  as  a 
remuneration  for  his  pecuniary  outlay  and  privations. 

A  baronetcy,  o:i  the  recommendation  of  the  same 
committee,  was  also  conferred  by  his  Majesty  William 
IV.  on  Mr.  Felix  Booth. 

In  looking  back  on  the  results  of  this  voyage,  no  im- 
partial inquirer  can  deny  to  Captain  Ross  the  merit  of 
na\'in^  effected  much  good  by  tracing  and  surveying 
the  wnole  of  the  long  western  coast  of  Regent  Inlet, 
proving  Boothia  to  be  a  peninsula,  and  setting  at  rest 
the  probability  of  any  navigable  outlet  being  discovered 
from  this  inlet  to  the  Polar  Sea.  The  lakes,  rivers  and 
islands  which  were  examined,  proved  with  sufficient 
accuracy  the  correctness  of  the  information  furnished  to 
Parry  by  the  Esquimaux. 

To  Commander  James  Ross  is  due  the  credit  of 
resolvinff  many  important  scientific  questions,  such  as 
the  combination  ot  light  with  magnetism,  fixing  the 
exact  position  of  the  magnetic  pole.  He  was  also  the 
only  person  in  the  expedition  competent  to  make  obser- 
vations in  geology,  natural  history  and  botany.  Out 
of  about  700  miles  of  new  land  explored.  Commander 
Ross,  in  the  expeditions  which  he  planned  and  con- 
ducted, discovered  nearly  500.  He  had,  up  to  this 
time,  passed  fourteen  summers  and  eight  winters  in 
these  seas. 

The  late  Sir  John  Barrow,  in  his  "  Narrative  of  Voy- 
ages of  Discovery  and  Research,"  p.  518,  in  opposition 
to  Ross's  opinion,  asserted  that  Boothia  was  not  joined 
to  the  contment,  but  that  they  were  "completely  divi- 
ded by  a  navigable  strait,  ten  miles  wide  and  upward, 
leading  past  Back's  Estuary,  and  into  the  Gulf  (of 
Boothia,)  of  which  the  proper  name  is  Akkolee,  not 
Boothia  ;  and  moreover,  tnat  the  two  seas  flow  as  freely 
into  each  other  as  Lancaster  Sound  does  into  the  Polar 
S(*a."  This  assumption  has  since  been  shown  to  be 
incorrect.  Capt.  Ross  asserts  there  is  a  difference  in 
the  l^vel  of  these  two  seas. 


i 


1  1 


168 


PROOllESS   OF   AJiCflO  DISOOVKRY. 


IV,  \ 


1  111  ly  hero  fitl}  take  a  review  of  Captain  R  ^s's  ser- 
vice^, lie  eiiteied  the  navy  in  1790,  served  fiflcon  yonr^ 
as  a  iiiidsliipnian,  seven  as  a  lieutenant,  and  seven  as  a 
euniniunder,  and  was  posted  on  the  7th  of  December, 
1818,  and  appointed  to  the  command  of  the  lirst  arctic 
i^xj)cdition  ot  this  century.  On  his  return  he  rec(!ived 
many  marks  of  faror  from  continental  80verei<;nH,  wuij 
knialited  and  made  a  Companion  of  the  Butn  on  \l\o 
24tii  of  December,  1834 ;  made  a  Commander  of  tho 
Swt)rd  of  Sweden,  a  Knight  of  the  Second  Class  of  St 
fVnne  of  Prussia  (in  diamonds,)  Second  Class  of  the 
Le»]jion  of  Honor,  and  of  the  Red  Eui^le  of  Prussia,  and 
of  Leopold  of  Belgium.  Received  tlie  royal  premiun 
from  the  Geographical  Society  of  London,  in  1833,  fo 
his  discoveries  in  the  arctic  regions ;  also  gold  medal 
from  the  Geographical  Society  of  Paris,  and  the  RoyrJ 
Societies  of  Sweden,  Austria,  and  Denmark.  The  frc^- 
dom  of  the  cities  of  London,  Liverpool,  and  P)risto^  : 
six  gold  snuff-boxes  from  Russia,  iJolland,  Demnai-).' 
Austria,  London  and  Baden ;  a  sword  valued  at  lOi' 
guineas  from  the  Patriotic  Fund,  for  his  sufferings,  hav 
ing  been  wounded  thirteen  times  in  three  uilfcreut 
actions  during  the  war  ;  and  one  of  the  value  of  200/. 
from  the  King  of  Sweden,  for  service  in  the  Baltic  and 
the  AVliite  Sea.  On  the  8th  of  March,  1830,  he  was 
appointed  to  the  lucrative  post  of  British  consul  ai 
Stockholm,  which  he  held  for  six  years. 


if 


m  ■  ■ 


Captain  Back's  Land  Journey,  1833-35. 

Four  years  having  elapsed  without  any  tidings  being 
received  of  Capt.  Ross  and  his  crew,  it  began  to  1)6 
generally  feared  in  England  that  they  had  been  added 
to  the  number  of  former  sufferers,  in  the  prosecution  of 
their  arduous  undertaking. 

Dr.  Richardson,  who  had  himself  undergone  sucli 
n-ightt\il  I  erils  in  the  arctic  regions  with  Franklin,  waa 
the  fire^  to  call  ]>ublic  attention  to  the  subject,  in  a  letter 
to  thv*  Ge<'gr!iphical  Society,  in  which  he  suggested  a 
project  *br  relieving  them,  if  stiP  alive  and  to  be  found  : 


Hi 


CAPTAIN  BACK  8  LAND  JOUKNET. 


ICO 


Mlt 


a'l 


1)e 
ed 
of 

id. 
raa 
tor 
a 


And  tit  the  snmo  time  volunteered  bis  services  to  tho 
Colonial  Secretary  of  the  day,  to  conduct  an  explorin^j 
party. 

Althoueh  the  expedition  of  Oapt.  Koss  was  not  under- 
taken under  the  auspices  of  ffoverniuent,  it  became  a 
national  concern  to  ascertain  the  ultimate  fate  of  it,  and 
to  make  some  effort  for  the  relief  of  the  party,  whoso 
home  at  that  time  miglit  be  the  boisterous  sea,  or  whoso 
slicltor  the  snow  hut  or  the  floating  iceberg.  Dr.  Rich- 
ardson proposed  to  proceed  from  Hudson's  Bay,  in  a 
northwest  direction  to  Coronation  Gulf,  where  he  was 
to  commence  his  search  in  an  easterly  direction.  Pass- 
ing to  the  north,  along  the  eastern  side  of  this  gulf,  ho 
wouUl  arrive  at  Point  Turnagain,  the  eastern  point  of 
his  own  former  discovery.  Having  accomplished  this, 
he  would  continue  his  search  toward  the  eastward  until 
he  reached  Melville  Island,  thus  perfecting  geographical 
discovery  in  that  quarter,  and  a  continued  coast  line 
miglit  be  laid  down  from  the  Fury  and  Hecla  Strait  to 
Beechey  Point,  leaving  only  the  small  space  between 
Franklin's  discovery  and  that  of  the  Blossom  unexplored. 
The  proposal  was  mvorably  received ;  but  owinw  to  the 
political  state  of  the  country  at  the  time,  the  oner  was 
not  accepted. 

A  meeting  was  held  in  November,  1832,  at  the  rooms 
of  the  Horticultural  Society,  in  Regent  street,  to  obtain 
funds,  and  arrange  for  fitting  out  a  private  relief  expe- 
dition, as  the  Admiralty  ana  Government  were  unablo 
to  do  this  officially,  in  conse(|aence  of  Captain  Ross's 
expedition  not  being  a  public  one.  Sir  George  Cock- 
burn  took  the  chair,  and  lustly  observed  that  those  offi- 
cers who  devoted  their  time  to  the  service  of  science, 
and  braved  in  its  pursuit  the  .^angers  of  unknown  and 
ungenial  climates,  demanded  he  sympathy  and  assist- 
ance of  all.  Great  Britain  h*d  taken  the  lead  in  geo- 
graphical discpvery,  and  theri.  was  not  one  in  this  coun- 
try who  did  not'  feel  pride  ax  A  honor  in  the  fame  she 
had  attained  by  the  expedition  of  Parry  and  Franklin  ; 
hut  if  we  wished  to  create  future  Parrys  and  Franklins, 
if  we  wished  to  encourage  Br»rsh  enterprise  and  com 


i 


iro 


rR00Ki':ss  (W  arctic  discovkry. 


Fill''' 
iW 


fI'M' 


i   '■ 

p:' 

{'^-  * ' '         ' 

1;;  M' 
1  i|- 


aee,  we  must  prove  that  the  officer  who  is  out  of  sight 
ot  his  countrymen  is  not  forgotten ;  that  there  ia  con 
sideration  for  his  sufferings,  and  appreciation  of  his 
spirit.  This  reflection  will  cheer  him  in  the  hour  ot* 
trial,  and  will  permit  him,  when  surrounded  by  dangers 
and  privations,  to  indulge  in  hope,  the  greatest  blessing 
of  man.  Captain  George  Back,  R.  N".,  who  was  in 
Italy  when  the  subject  was  iirst  mooted,  hastened  to 
England,  and  offered  to  lead  the  party,  and  his  services 
were  accepted.  A  subscription  was  entered  into,  to 
defray  the  necessary  expenses,  and  upward  of  6000?. 
was  raised  ;  of  this  sura,  at  the  recommendation  of  Lord 
Goderich,  the  then  Secretary  of  State,  the  Treasury  con- 
tributed 2000Z. 

After  an  interview  with  the  king  at  Brighton,  to  which 
be  was  specially  summoned,  Captain  Back  made  prep* 
rations  for  his  journey,  and  laid  down  his  plan  of  opera- 
tions. In  order  to  facilitate  his  views,  and  give  him 
great'jir  autliority  over  his  men,  special  instructions  and 
authority  were  issued  by  the  Colonial  Office,  and  the 
Hudson's  Bay  Company  granted  him  a  commission  in 
their  service,  and  placed  every  assistance  at  his  disposal 
throughout  their  territory  in  North  America. 

Every  thing  bein^ definitely  arranged,  Capt.  Back, 
accompanied  by  Dr.  Kichard  King  as  surgeon  and  natu- 
ralist, with  three  men  who  had  been  on  tlie  expedition 
with  Franklin,  left  Liverpcol  on  the  17th  of  February, 
1833,  in  one  of  the  New  York  packet  ships,  and  arrived 
in  America  after  a  stormy  passage  of  thirty-five  days. 
lie  proceeded  on  to  Montreal,  where  he  had  great  diffi- 
culty in  preventing  two  of  the  men  from  leaving  him, 
as  tneir  hearts  began  to  fail  them  at  the  prospect  of 
the  severe  journey  with  its  attendant  difficulties,  which 
they  had  to  encounter. 

Four  volunteers  from  the  Royal  Artillery  corps  here 
joined  him,  and  some  voyageurs  having  been  engaged, 
the  party  left,  in  two  canoes,  on  the  25th  of  April.  Two 
of  his  party  deserted  from  him  in  the  Ottawa  river. 

On  the  28th  of  June,  having  obtained  his  comple- 
ment of  men,  he  may  be  said  to  have  commenced  hii 


■  i:  .4a&ili-''-'iilM"iiW 


CAPTAIN   back's   LAND  JOURNEY. 


171 


lary, 
lived 
laj^s. 
Idiffi- 
I  him, 
it  of 
rhich 

here 
iffed, 
Two 

iple- 
hit 


joarney.  They  suffered  dreadfully  from  myriads  (>( 
BMTid-flies  and  musquitoes,  being  so  disfigured  by  their 
{iltackB  that  their  features  could  scarcely  be  recognized. 
Horse-flies,  ani)ropriately  styled  "bull-dogs,"  were  an- 
other dreadful  post,  which  pertinaciously  gorged  them 
selves,  like  the  leech,  until  tliey  seemed  ready  to  burst. 

"  It  is  in  vain  to  attempt  to  defend  yourself  against 
these  puny  bloodsuckers  ;  though  you  crush  thousands 
of  them,  tens  of  thousands  arise  to  avenge  the  death  of 
their  companions,  and  you  very  soon  discover  that  the 
conflict  which  you  are  waging  is  one  in  which  you  are 
sure  to  be  defeated.  So  great  at  last  are  the  pains  and 
tktigue  in  buffeting  away  this  attacking  force,  that  in 
(l(!sptiir  you  throw  yourself,  half  suffocated,  in  a  blanket, 
with  your  face  upon  the  ground,  and  snatch  a  few  min- 
utes of  sleepless  rest."  Capt.  Back  adds  that  the  vig- 
orous and  un intermitting  assaults  of  these  tormenting 
posts  conveyed  the  moral  lesson  of  man's  helplessness, 
since,  with  all  our  boasted  strength,  we  are  unable  to 
repel  these  feeble  atoms  of  creation.  "  How,"  he  says, 
"  can  I  possibly  give  an  idea  of  the  torment  we  endured 
from  the  sand-flies?  As  we  divided  into  the  confined 
and  suffocating  chasms,  or  waded  through  the  close 
swamps,  they  rose  in  clouds,  actually  darkening  the  air ; 
to  see  or  to  speak  was  equally  difficult,  for  they  i  ushed 
at  every  undefended  part,  and  fixed  their  poisonous 
fangs  in  an  instant.  Our  faces  streamed  with  blood,  as 
if  leeches  had  been  applied,  and  there  was  a  burning 
and  irritating  pain,  followed  by  immediate  inflamma- 
tion, and  producing  giddiness,  which  almost  drove  us 
mad,  and  caused  us  to  moan  with  pain  and  agony. 

At  the  Pine  portage.  Captain  Back  engaged  the 
services  of  A.  R.  McLeod,  in  the  employ  of  the  Hud- 
son's Bay  Company,  and  who  had  been  fixed  upon  by 
Governor  Simpson,  to  aid  the  expedition.  He  was 
accompanied  by  his  wife,  three  children,  and  a  ser- 
vant; and  had  just  returned  from  the  Mackenzie  River, 
with  a  large  cargo  of  furs.  The  whole  family  were  at- 
tached to  the  party,  ana  after  some  detentions  of  a 
general  and  unimportant  character  tb.ey  arrived  at 


i 


I 


i 


^ 


172 


PROGRESS  OF  AROnO  DISOOVERT. 


U;     tj 


[.;  risvr 


f " 


I  cm !. 


I  ■'!> 


if  i- 


il       4  ^ 


Fort  Chipewyan  on  the  20th  of  July.  Fort  Resoit^ 
tion,  on  Ureat  Slave  Lake,  was  reached  ou  the  8th  oi 
August. 

The  odd  assemblage  of  goods  and  voyageurs  in  their 
encampment  are  thus  graphically  described  by  the 
traveler,  as  he  glanced  around  him. 

"  At  my  feet  was  a  rolled  bundle  in  oil-cloth,  con- 
taining some  three  blankets,  called  a  bed;  near  it  a 
piece  of  dried  buffalo,  fancifully  ornamented  with  long 
black  hairs,  which  no  art,  alas,  can  prevent  from  insin- 
uating themselves  between  the  teeth,  as  you  laboriously 
masticate  the  tough,  hard  flesh;  then  a  tolerably  cleiin 
napkin,  spread  by  way  of  table-cloth,  on  a  red  ]»iece  of 
canvas,  and  supporting  a  tea-pot,  some  biscuits,  and  a 
salt-cellar  ;  near  this  a  tin  plate,  close  by  a  square  kind 
of  box  or  safe  of  the  same  material,  rich  with  a  pule, 
greasy  hair,  the  produce  of  the  colony  at  Ked  River ; 
and  the  last,  the  far-renowned pemmicarij  unqutsstion- 
ably  the  best  food  of  the  country  for  expeditions  such 
as  ours.  Behind  me  were  two  boxes  containing  astro- 
nomical instruments,  and  a  sextant  lying  on  the  ground, 
while  the  different  corners  of  the  tent  were  occupied 
by  a  washing  apparatus,  a  gun,  an  Indian  shot-poucli, 
bags,  basins,  ana  an  unhappy-looking  japanned  pot, 
whose  melancholy  bumps  and  hollows  seemed  to  re- 
proach me  for  many  a  bruise  endured  upon  the  rocks 
and  portages  between  Montreal  and  Lake  Winnipeck. 
Nor  were  my  crew  less  motley  than  the  furniture  of 
the  tent.  It  consisted  of  an  Englishman,  a  man  from 
Stornaway,  tt^  Canadians,  two  Metifs  or  half-breeds, 
and  three  Iroquois  Indians.  Babel  could  not  have  pro- 
duced a  worse  confusion  of  unharnionious  sounds  than 
was  the  conversation  they  kept  up." 

Having  obtained  at  Fort  Resolution  all  possible  in- 
formation, from  the  Indians  and  others,  relative  to  the 
course  of  the  northern  rivers  of  which  he  was  in  search, 
he  divided  his  crew  into  two  parties,  five  of  whom  were 
left  as  an  escort  for  Mr.  McLeod,  and  four  were  to  ac- 
company himself  in  search  of  the  Great  Fish  River. 
«ince  appropriately  ramed  after  Back  himself. 


*^b^mmmmm 


i''r 


CAPTAIN  IJACK  S  LAND  JOURNEY. 


173 


On  the  10th  of  August  they  began  the  ascent  of  the 
Hoar  Frost  Kiver,  whose  course  was  a  series  of  tlie 
most  fearful  cascades  and   rapids.    The  woods   heio 
wore  so  thick  as  to  render  them  almost  impervious 
consisting  chiefly  of  stuiited  firs,  which  occasioned  in 
finite  trouble  to  the  l)arty  to  force  their  way  thi'ough 
added  to  wjiich,  they  had  to  clamber  over  fallen  trees 
through  rivulets,  and  over  bogs  and  swami)8,  until  thu 
difiiculties  appeared   so  appalling,  as   almost  to   dis- 
hearten the  party  from  prosecuting  their  journey.    Tho 
heart  of  Ca])tain  Back  was,  however,  of  too  stern  a  cast 
to  be  dispirited  by  difficulties,  at  which  less  i)ersever 
''ng  explorers  would    have  turned  away  discomfited, 
and  cheering  on  his  men,  like  a  bold  and  gallant  leader, 
the  first  in  the  advance  of  danger,  they  arrived  at  length 
in  an  open  Sfuicc,  where  they  rested  for  awhile  to  recruit 
their  exhausted  strength.    The  place  was,  indeed,  one 
of  barrenness  and  desolation ;  crag  was  piled  upon  crag 
to  the  height  of  2000  feet  fiom  the  base,  and  the  course 
of  the  river  here,  in  a  state  of  contraction,  was  marked 
by  an  uninterrupted  line  of  foam. 

However  great  the  beauty  of  the  scenery  mav  be, 
and  however  resolute  may  be  the  will,  severe  toil  will 
at  length  relax  the  spirits,  and  bring  a  kind  of  despon- 
dency upon  a  heai't  naturally  bold  and  undaunted.  This 
was  found  particularly  the  case  now  with  the  interpre- 
ter, who  became  a  dead  weight  upon  the  party.  Rapid 
now  succeeded  rapid ;  scarcely  had  they  surmounted 
one  fall  than  another  presented  itself,  rising  like  an  am- 
phitheater before  them  to  the  height  of  fifty  feet.  They 
however,  gained  at  length  the  ascent  of  this  turbulen 
and  imfriendly  river,  the  romantic  beauty  and  wild 
scenery  of  which  were  strikingly  grand,  and  after  pass 
ing  successively  a  series  of  portages,  rapids,  falls,  lake^ 
and  rivers,  on  the  27th  Back  observed  from  the  summit 
of  a  high  hill  a  very  large  lake  full  of  deep  bays  and 
islands,  and  which  has  been  named  Aylmer  Lake,  after 
the  Governor-General  of  Canada  at  that  time.  The 
boat  was  sent  out  with  three  men  to  search  for  the  lake, 
or  outlet  of  the  river,  which  thej  discovered  on  the  seo- 


! 


! 


"  (■ 


jr4 


PR00UE8S   OF   ARCriO   DISCOVERT. 


m 


;l 


Olid  day,  and  Captain  Back  himself,  during  their  ab- 
sence, also  accidentally  discovered  its  source  in  the 
Sand  llill  Lake,  not  far  from  his  encampment.  Not 
prouder  was  Bruce  when  he  stood  on  tue  green  sod 
which  covers  the  source  of  the  Nile,  than  was  Captain 
Back  when  he  found  tlpvt  he  was  standing  at  the  source 
of  a  river,  the  existence  of  which  was  known,  but  the 
course  of  which  was  a  jiroblem,  no  traveler  had  yet  ven 
tured  to  solve.  Yielding  to  that  pleasurable  emotion 
which  discoverers,  in  theiirst  bound  of  their  transport, 
may  be  pardoned  for  indulging.  Back  tells  us  he  tlirow 
himself  down  on  the  bank  and  drank  a  hearty  draught 
of  the  limpid  water. 

"For  this  occasion,"  he  adds,  "I  had  re8er\^od  a  lit- 
tle grog,  and  need  hardly  say  with  what  cheerfulness 
it  was  shared  among  the  orew,  whose  welcome  tidings 
had  verified  the  notion  ol  Ji\  Tlichardson  and  myself, 
and  thus  placed  beyond  doubt  the  existence  ot  the 
Thlew-ce-choh,  or  Great  Fisli  River. 

On  the  30th  of  August,  they  began  to  move  toward 
the  river,  but  on  reaching  Musk-ox  Lake,  it  was  found 
impossible  to  stand  the  force  of  the  rapids  in  their  fi'ail 
canoe,  and  as  winter  was  approaching,  their  return  to 
the  rendezvous  on  Slave  LaKe  was  determined  on. 

At  Clinton  Colden  Lake,  some  Indians  visited  thein 
fi-om  the  Chief  Akaitclio,  who,  it  will  be  remembered, 
was  the  guide  of  Sir  John  Franklin.  Two  of  these  Li- 
dians  remembered  Captain  Back,  one  having  accom- 
panied him  to  the  Coppermine  River,  on  Franklin's 
nrst  expedition. 

At  the  Cat  or  Artillery  Lake,  they  had  to  abandon 
their  canoe,  and  perform  the  rest  of  the  journey  on  f>ot 
over  precipitous  rocks,  through  fi'ightful  gorges  and  ra- 
vines, heaped  with  masses  of  granite,  and  along  narrow 
ledges,  where  a  false  step  would  have  l)een  fatal. 

At  Fort  Reliance,  the  party  found  Mr.  McLeod  had, 
during  their  absence,  erected  the  fi-ame-work  of  a  com- 
forl-able  residence  for  them,  and  all  hands  set  to  wort 
to  complete  it.  After  many  obstacles  and  difficulties, 
it  was  nnished. 


CAPTAIN    back's   LAND   JOURNBT. 


iTi 


Dr.  Kin^  joined  them  on  the  16th  of  September,  with 
two  laden  nuteaux. 

On  the  6th  of  November,  they  exchanged  their  cold 
tents  for  the  new  house,  which  was  fifty  feet  long  by 
thirty  broad,  and  contained  four  rooms,  besides  a  spa- 
cious hall  in  the  center,  for  the  reception  and  accom- 
modation of  the  Indians,  to  wlitch  a  sort  of  rude  kitchen 
was  attached. 

As  the  winter  advanced,  bands  of  starving  Indians 
continued  to  arrive,  in  the  hope  of  obtaining  some  re- 
lief, as  little  or  nothing  was  to  be  procured  by  hunting. 
They  would  stand  around  while  the  men  were  taking 
their  meals,  watching  every  mouthful  with  the  most 
longing,  imploring  look,  but  yet  never  uttered  a  com- 
plaint. 

At  other  times  they  would,  seated'  round  the  fire,  oc- 
cupy themselves  in  roasting  and  devouring  small  bits 
of  their  reindeer  garments,  which,  even  when  entire, 
afforded  them  a  very  insufficient  protection  against  a 
temperature  of  102°  below  freezing  point. 

Tne  sufferings  of  the  poor  Indians  at  this  period  are 
described  as  frightful.  "  Famine  with  her  gaunt  and 
bony  arm,"  says  Back,  "  pursued  them  at  every  turn, 
withered  their  energies,  and  strewed  them  lifeless  on 
the  cold  bosom  of  the  snow."  It  was  impossible  to 
afford  relief  out  of  their  scanty  store  to  all,  but  even 
small  portions  of  the  mouldy  pemmican  intended  for 
the  dogs,  unpalatable  as  it  was,  was  gladly  received, 
and  saved  many  fi*om  perishing.  "  Often,"  adds  Back, 
"  did  I  share  my  own  plate  with  the  children  whose 
helpless  state  and  piteous  cries  were  peculiarly  distress- 
ing ;  compassion  for  the  full-grovm  may,  or  may  not, 
be  felt,  but  that  heart  must  be  cased  in  steel  which  is 
insensible  to  the  cry  of  a  child  for  food." 

At  this  critical  juncture,  Akaitcho  made  his  appear- 
ance with  an  opportune  supply  of  a  little  meat,  which 
in  some  measure  enabled  Captain  Back  to  relieve  the 
sufferers  around  him,  many  of  whom,  to  his  great  de- 
light, went  away  with  Akaitcho.  The  stock  of  meat 
was  soon  exhausted,  and  they  had  to  open  their  pem- 


176 


rUOOrliiuSd    OF    AitJi'IC    DibOOVikUT* 


hf' 


fi  >r''    I 


i  Wf  ■  • 


mican.  The  officers  contented  tliomselvos  with  the 
dhort  Bupply  of  hiilf  a  pound  a  day,  bnt  the  laboring 
men  could  not  do  with  lesH  than  a  pound  and  threo- 

^uarters.  Tlio  cold  now  set  in  with  an  intensity  which 
laptain  Back  had  never  before  experienced, —  the  thcr- 
nioracter,  on  the  17th  of  January,  oeing  70°  below  zero. 
■*  Such  indeed,  (he  says,)  was  the  abstraction  of  heat, 
that  with  eight  large  logs  of  dry  wood  on  the  fire,  I 
could  not  get  the  tlierniometor  higiier  than  12°  bcloW 
zero.  Ink  and  paint  froze.  Tlio  sextant  cases  and 
boxes  of  seasoned  wood,  principally  lir,  all  split.  Tlie 
fikiu  of  the  hands  became  dry,  cracked  and  opened 
into  unsightly  and  smarting  gashes,  which  we  were 
obliged  to  anoint  wihli  grease.  On  one  occasion,  afler 
wasning  my  face  within  three  feet  of  the  tire,  my  hair 
was  actually  clotted  with  ice  before  I  had  time  to  dry  it." 

The  hunters  suftered  severely  from  the  intensity  of 
.he  cold,  and  compared  the  sensation  of  handling  their 
guns  to  that  of  touching  red-hot  iron,  and  so  excessive 
was  the  pain,  that  they  were  obliged  to  wrap  thongs  of 
leather  round  the  triggers  to  keep  their  ffugers  from 
coming  into  contact  with  the  steel. 

The  suiferings  which  the  party  now  endured  were 
great,  and  had  it  not  been  for  the  exemplary  conduct 
of  Akaitcbo  in  procuring  them  game,  it  is  tc  be  doubted 
whether  any  would  have  survived  to  tell  the  misery 
they  had  endured.  The  sentiments  of  this  worthy  sav 
age  were  nobly  expressed  — "  The  great  chief  trusts  in 
us,  and  it  is  better  that  ten  Indians  perish,  than  that 
one  white  man  should  perish  through  our  negligence 
and  breach  of  faith." 

On  the  14th  of  February,  Mr.  McLeod  and  his  family 
removed  to  a  place  half  way  between  the  fort  and  the 
Indians,  in  order  to  facilitate  their  own  support,  and 
assist  in  procuring  food  by  hunting.  His  situation, 
however,  became  soon  one  of  the  greatest  embarrass- 
ment, he  and  his  family  being  surrounded  by  difficul- 
ties, privations,  and  deaths.  Six  of  the  natives  ueai 
him  sank  under  the  horrors  of  starvation,  and  Akaitchr 
dnd  his  liuntere  were  twelve  days'  march  distHUt. 


OAITAIN   BACKS   LAND  JODIWiET. 


ITT 


Toward  tho  end  of  April,  Oapt.  Back  began  to  raake 
arrangements  for  constructing  boats  for  prosecuting  tlio 
exi)eaition  once  more,  and  wliile  so  employed,  on  tho 
25th  a  messenger  arrived  with  the  gratifying  intelli- 
gence, that  Capt.  Ross  had  arrived  safely  m  England, 
confirmation  of  which,  was  afforded  in  extracts  IVom 
tho  Times  and  Herald^  and  letters  from  tho  long  lont 
adventurers  themselves.  Their  feelings  at  these  glad 
tidings  are  thus  described: — "In  the  fullness  of  our 
hearts  we  assembled  together,  and  humbly  offered  up 
our  thanks  to  that  merciful  Providence,  who  in  tuT 
beautiful  language  of  scripture  hath  said, '  Mine  own 
will  I  bring  again,  as  I  did  sometime  from  the  deeps 
^f  the  sea.'  Tlie  thought  of  so  wonderful  a  preserva- 
tion overpowered  for  a  time  the  common  occurrences 
of  life.  We  had  just  sat  down  to  breakfast ;  but  our 
appetite  was  gone,  and  the  day  was  passed  in  a  fever- 
\m  state  of  excitenoient.  Seldom,  indeed,  did  my  friend 
Mr.  King  or  I  indulge  in  a  libation,  but  on  this  joyful 
occasion  economy  was  forgotton  ;  a  treat  was  given  to 
the  men,  and  for  ourselves  the  social  sympathies  were 
quickened  by  a  generous  bowl  of  puDch."  Capt.  Back's 
former  interpreter,  Augustus,  hearing  tha«,  he  was  in 
the  country,  set  out  on  foot  from  Hudson's  Bay  to  join 
him,  but  getting  separated  from  his  two  companions, 
the  gallant  little  felli\,'  was  either  exhausted  by  suffer^ 
ing  and  privations,  or,  caught  in  the  midst  of  an  oper 
traverse,  in  one  of  those  terrible  snow  storms  which 
may  be  f  aid  to  blow  almost  through  the  frame,  he  had 
sunk  to  lise  no  more,  his  bleachea  remains  being  dis* 
covered  not  far  from  the  Riviere  a  Jean.  "  Such," 
says  Capt.  Back,  "  was  the  miserable  end  of  poor  Au- 
gustus, a  faithful,  disinterested,  kind-hearted  creature, 
who  had  won  the  regard,  not  of  myself  only,  but  I 
may  add,  of  Sir  J.  Franklin  and  Dr.  Richardson  also, 
by  qualities  which,  wherever  vound,  in  the  lowest  as  in 
the  highest  forms  of  social  life,  are  the  ornament  and 
charm  of  humanity." 

On  the  7th  of  June,  all  the  preparations  being  com 
I  ^eted,  McLeod  having  been  previously  sent  oti  to  hunt| 


178 


PBOQKI'ISS   OF  ARCriO   DISCOVEKT. 


f-\ 


1 1  ' 
i 


and  deposit  casks  of  meat  at  various  stages,  Back  set 
out  with  Mr.  King,  accompanied  by  four  voyagers  and 
an  Indian  guide.  The  stores  not  required  were  buried, 
and  the  doors  and  windows  of  the  house  blocked  up. 

At  Artillery  Lake,  Back  picked  up  the  reraaiudei 
of  his  party,  with  the  carpenters  who  had  been  em 
[)ioyed  ]>reparing  boats.  The  lightest  and  best  waa 
chosen  and  placed  on  runners  plated  with  iron,  and  in 
this  manner  she  was  drawn  over  the  ice  by  two  men  and 
six  fine  dogs.  The  eastern  shore  of  the  lake  was  fol- 
lowed, as  it  was  found  less  rocky  and  precipitous  than 
the  opposite  one.  The  march  was  prosecuted  by  night, 
fhe  air  being  more  fresh  and  pleasant,  and  tlie  party 
fook  rest  in  the  day.  The  gh'^re  of  the  ice,  the  ditli- 
r-ulty  encountered  in  gettirqr  the  boat  along,  the  ice  be- 
ing so  bad  that  the  spikes  of  the  runners  cut  tln'ough 
instead  of  slidinff  over  it,  and  the  Hiick  snow  which 
fell  in  June,  greatly  increased  the  labor  of  getting  along. 
T.he  cold,  raw  "^  'ind  pierced  through  them  in  spite  of 
cloaks  and  blankets.  After  being  caulked,  the  boat 
was  launched  on  the  14th  of  June,  the  lake  being  suf- 
ficiently unobstructed  to  admit  of  h^^r  being  towed 
along  shore.  The  weather  now  became  exceedingly 
unpleasant —  hail,  snow,  and  rain,  pelted  them  one  aftei 
the  other  for  some  time  without  respite,  and  then  onlv 
yielded  to  squalls  that  overturned  the  boat.  Witb 
alternate  spells  and  baitings  to  res*",  they  however, 
gradually  advanced  on  the  traverse,  and  were  really 
making  considerable  progress  when  pelting  showers  of 
sleet  and  drift  so  dimmed  and  confused  the  sight,  dark 
ejiing  the  atmosphere,  and  limiting  their  view  to  only 
a  few  paces  before  them,  as  to  render  it  an  extremely 
perplexing  task  to  keep  their  course. 

On  the  23d  of  June,  they  fortunately  fell  in  with  a 
rae/te  made  for  them  by  their  avant-coiirier^  Mr.  Mc- 
Leod,  in  which  was  a  seasonable  supply  of  deer  and 
musk-ox  flesh,  the  latter,  however,  so  impregnated  with 
tl'.e  odor  from  r/hich  it  takes  its  name,  that  the  men  de- 
clared they  would  rather  starve  three  days  than  swal 
low  a  u\outhful  of  it.    To  remove  this  unfiivorable  Im 


a 


OAt^'ATN   BACKS   LAND  JOURNET. 


179 


pression,  Capt.  JJack  ordered  the  daily  rations  to  bo 
fierved  from  it  for  his  own  mess  as  well  as  tlieirs,  tak- 
ing occasion  at  the  same  time,  to  impress  ;>n  their  minds 
the  injurious  consequences  of  voluntary  abstinence, 
and  the  necessity  of  accommodating  their  tastes  to 
such  food  as  the  country  might  supply.  Soon  after  an 
other  cache  was  met  with,  thus  maki:ig  elevea  animals 
in  all,  that  had  been  thus  obtained  and  secured  for 
them  by  the  kind  care  of  Mr.  McLeod. 

On  the  2Tth,  they  roached  Sandy  Hill  Bay,  where 
they  found  Mr.  McLeod  encamped.  On  the  28th,  the 
boat  being  too  frail  to  be  dragged  over  the  portage, 
about  a  quarter  of  a  mile  in  length,  was  carried  bodily 
by  the  crew,  and  launched  safely  in  the  Thlew-ee-choh 
or  Fish  River.  After  crossing  the  portage  beyond 
Musk-ox  Rapid,  about  four  miles  in  length,  and  having 
all  his  party  together,  Captain  Back  took  a  8ur\'ey  of 
his  provisions  for  the  three  months  of  operations,  which 
he  lound  to  consist  of  two  boxes  of  maccaroni,  a  case 
of  cocoa,  twenty-seven  bags  of  pemmican  oi  about  80 
lbs.  each,  and  a  keg  with  two  gallons  of  rum.  This  he 
considered  an  adequate  supply  if  all  turned  out  sound 
and  good.  The  difficulty,  however,  of  transporting  a 
weight  of  5000  lbs,  over  ice  and  rocks,  by  a  circuitous 
route  of  full  200  miles,  may  be  easily  conceived,  not  to 
mention  the  pain  onclured  in  w';lkinj^  on  some  parts 
where  the  ice  formed  muiuiiciable  spikes  that  pierced 
like  needles,  and  in  other  plaqjes  where  it  was  so  blaet 
nud  decayed,  that  it  threatened  at  every  step  to  euj^ulf 
the  adventurous  traveler.  These  and  similar  difhcul 
ties  could  only  be  overcome  by  tlie  most  steady  perse 
verance,  ana  the  most  determined  resolution. 

Among  the  group  of  dark  figures  huddled  togethei 
in  the  Indian  encampment  around  them,  Ca})t.  Back 
found  his  old  acquaintance,  the  Indian  beauty  of  w1k)i>i 
mention  is  made  in  Sir  Jolin  Franklin's  narrative  un- 
der the  name  of  Green  Stockings.  Although  sui-- 
rounded  with  a  family,  with  one  urchin  in  her  cloak 
clinging  to  her  back,  and  several  other  maternal  ac- 
jompaniments,  Capt.   Back    immediately  recognized 

II 


A  %\ 


I 


!! 


t8C 


rUOOKKlSft   OF    AU(ri"t(J   DISCKJVICUT. 


I.: 


luM,  juul  called  her  by  li«r  nuine,  at  which  who  l!mi2;ho<], 
;ui(l  siii<l  she  \V!is  ;ui  uhl  woman  now,  aud  h»jigt'(l  that 
hlic  nnjiiit  bo  rolievod  bv  the  "  nicdicino  nuin  "  lor  slio 
was  very  unich  out  of  health.  Jlowover,  notwilhstand- 
in<r  all  this,  hIio  was  still  tho  beauty  of  her  tribe,  and 
with  that  eonseit>iisness  which  belongs  to  all  belles,  sav 
!iL!;e  or  oolite,  she  seemed  by  no  moans  disj)leased  when 
J  Jack  sketeluMl  her  |)ortrait. 

Air.  MeLeod  was  now  sent  back,  takin«r  with  him  ten 
perst>ns  antl  fourteen  dogs.  His  instructions  were  to 
j)roeeed  to  Fort  Resolution  tor  the  stores  ex pectiMl  to  be 
sent  there  by  the  Hudson's  l»ay  (\)ni|)any,  to  build  a 
house  in  some  good  locality,  tor  a  permanent  tishini!' 
station,  aiul  to  be  again  on  the  banks  of  tho  Fish  KiviM 
by  the  uiitldle  of  b>e}>tend)er,  to  afford  Back  and  his 
l><nty  any  assistance  or  relief  they  might  re(juire. 

The  old  Indian  chief  Akaitcho,  hearing  from  tho  in- 
terpreter that  Capt.  Back  was  in. his  immediate  neigh- 
borhood, said,  "  I  have  known  the  chief  a  long  time, 
and  1  am  atraid  1  shall  never  see  him  again  ;  1  will  t^o 
to  him."  On  his  arrival  ho  cautioned  ]^,u'k  against  tlio 
dangers  of  a  river  which  ho  distinctly  told  him  the 
present  race  of  Indians  know  nothin«'  of.  He  also 
warned  him  against  the  treachery  of  the  Esquiruiux, 
which  he  said  was  always  nnisked  under  the  gidso  of 
iVienilship,  observing  they  W(»uld  attack  hini  when  lu; 
least  expected  it.  "  I  am  afraid,"  continued  the  good 
old  chief,  "  that  I  sh:dl  never  see  you  again  ;  but  should 
you  esca[)e  from  the  great  water,  take  care  you  are  not 
t'uught  by  the  winter,  and  thrown  into  a  situation  liko 
that  in  which  you  were  on  your  r.iurn  from  tho  Cop- 
permine, for  you  are  done,  and  the  Indians  cannot 
assist  you." 

The  carpenters,  with  an  IroquoiB,  not  being  furtlior 
required,  were  dismissed  to  join  Mr.  McLood,  and  on 
the  Stli  of  July  they  proceeded  down  the  river.  The 
boat  was  now  launchea  and  laden  with  her  cargo,  which, 
together  with  ten  persons,  slie  stowed  well  enough  for 
a  smooth  river,  but  not  for  a  lake  or  sea  way.  The 
weight  was  calculated  at  3300  lbs.,  exclusive  of  the 
awning,  poles,  sails.  &<:.  and  the  crew. 


(1APTAIN  UACK  fl    I.ANP   JOlTRNKI. 


181 


Tliou'  pro^roHR  to  ilio  hqh  vvuh  now  one  continno^l  faic- 
^'R8ion  of  (liUimM-oiiH  and  fornn(!)il)l('.  t'jillH,  rnpidH,  jind 
catunictH,  wliic.li  lV«M|U(!ntIv  nuui«i  l>a('l<  liol<l  lim  brfutJj, 
#X|)i'.(',tin«i;  to  Hoo  the  boat  (laHluHl  to  nliivrirH  ,'iij|;uiriKt  i  nirin 
protrndin;^  rockn  a?nidnt  tho  foam  and  fmv  at  tlic  foot 
of  a  rapid.  Tlio  ordy  wonder  Ih  Iiow  in  tlicir  finil  leaky 
l)oat  tlioy  ever  nliot  on«  of  tlic^,  rapidtt.  I*!i]>id  alter 
rapid,  and  fall  after  fall,  wore  j)aHK(Ml,  cacli  accdmpa- 
nied  with  more  or  Iorr  dan<^er  ;  and  in  one  iriKtajiee  flie 
l)oat  was  only  mived  by  all  liandn  jnrnpin/jj  into  ilie 
IneakorH,  and  keepii.g  her  Htern  Uj)  the  stream,  nntil 
she  was  cleared  from  a  rock  that  had   hroui^ht  her  up. 

They  had  hardly  time  to  ^et  into  their  plaecH  5i//ain, 
when  they  were  carried  with  consirh^rahle  velocily 
pant  a  river  which  joined  from  the;  wciHtward.  After 
paflHing  no  Icrs  tlian  live  rapidn  within  the  diKtanei!  of 
three  mileH,  they  (;ame  to  one  long  and  apjiahing  orx*, 
fhll  of  rockH  and  lar<re  boulders  ;  the  Hiden  htiiniried  in 
by  a  wall  of  ice,  ancltho  current  flying  with  the  veloc- 
ity and  force  of  a  torrent.  The  boat  was  lightened  of 
her  carajo,  and  Oapt.  Hack  plac(!d  hiniHt^lf  on  a  high 
roek,  with  an  anxious  desire  to  see  Ikt  run  the;  ra])id. 
He  had  every  hope  which  confidcinee  in  the  judgment 
and  dexterity  of  liis  princi[)al  men  could  inspire,  4>ut  it 
was  impossible  not  to  feel  that  one  crash  would  be  fatal 
to  the  expedition.  Away  they  went  with  the  speed  cf 
an  arrow,  and  in  a  moment  the  foam  and  rocks  hid 
them  from  view.  Back  at  last  heard  what  sounded  in 
his  ear  like  a  wild  shriek,  and  he  saw  Dr.  King,  who 
was  a  hundred  yards  before  him,  make  a  sign  with  hii^ 
gun,  and  then  run  forward.  Back  followed  with  an 
agitation  which  may  be  easily  conceived,  when  to  bis 
inexpressible  joy  he  found  tliat  the  shriek  was  the  tn 
amphant  whoop  of  the  crew,  who  had  landed  safely  in 
a  email  bay  below.  For  nearly  one  hundred  miles  of 
the  distance  they  were  impeded  by  these  frightful  whirl 
pools,  and  strong  and  heavy  rapids. 

On  opening  one  of  their  bags  of  pemmican,  the  in 
gonui'ty  of  the  Indians  at  pilfering  was  discovered,  sue 
cossive  layers  of  mixed  sand,  stoncB,  and  green  mea 


>'  ''.8 


182 


PROGKE88   OF   ARCTIO   DISCOVKRT. 


Ii;fi; 


V'-' 


%  !!. 


lit 


having  been  artfully  and  cleverly  substituted  for  the 
dry  meat.  Fearful  that  they  might  be  carrying  heaps 
of  stone  instead  of  provision,  Back  had  to  examine 
carefully  the  remainder,  which  were  all  found  soui\d 
and  well-tasted.  He  began  to  fear,  from  the  inclination 
of  the  river  at  one  time  toward  the  eouth,  that  it  would 
be  found  to  discharge  itself  in  Ch(3steriiold  Inlet,  in 
Hudson's  Bay,  but  subsequently,  to  his  great  joy,  it 
took  a  direct  course  toward  the  north,  and  iiis  hopes  of 
reaching  the  Polar  Sea  were  revived.  Tlie  river  now 
led  into  several  large  lakes,  some  studded  with  islands, 
which  were  named  successively  after  Sir  11.  Felly,  and 
Mr.  Garry,  of  the  Hudson's  Bay  Company  ;  two  others 
were  named  Lake  Macdougall  and  Lake  Franklin. 

On  the  28th  of  July,  they  fell  in  with  a  tnbe  of  about 
thirty-five  very  friendly  Esquimaux,  who  aided  them 
in  transporting  their  boat  over  the  last  long  and  steep 
portage,  to  which  his  men  were  utterly  unequal,  and 
Back  justly  remarks,  to  their  kind  assistance  he  is 
mainly  indebted  for  getting  to  the  sea  at  all. 
I  It  was  late  when  they  got  away,  and  while  threading 
their  course  between  some  sand-banks  with  a  sti'ong 
current,  they  first  caught  sight  of  a  majestic  headland 
in  tjie  extreme  distance  to  the  north,  which  had  a 
coast-like  appearance.  This  important  promontory, 
Back  subsequently  named  after  our  gracious  Queen^ 
then  Princess  Victoria. 

"This,  then," observes  Back,  "  may  be  considered  aa 
the  mouth  of  the  Thlew-ee-choh,  which  after  a  violent 
and  tortuous  course  of  530  geo^  'aphical  miles,  running 
through  an  iron-ribbed  country,  without  a  single  tree 
on  the  whole  line  of  its  bankp,,  expanding  into  five 
large  lakes,  with  cloar  horizon,  most  embarrassing  to 
the  navigf  tor,  and  broken  into  falls,  cascades,  and  rap- 
ids, to  the  number  of  eighty-tlu-eo  in  the  whole,  pours 
its  water  into  the  Polar  Sea,  in  lat.  67°  11'  N.,  and  long 
94°  30'  W.,  that  is  to  say>  about  thirty-seven  miles 
more  south  than  the  Coppermine  River,  and  nineteer 
miles  more  south  than  that  of  Bacik's  R-iver,  (of  Frank 
lin,)  at  the  lower  extremity  of  Bathurst's  Inlet" 


i3ifi»«^--- 


CArTAIN    back's    LAND   JOUiiNEY. 


183 


I 


i^'or  several  days  Back  was  able  to  make  but  slow 
progi'css  along  the  eastern  shore,  in  consequence  of  the 
8!»licl  body  of  dril't-ice.  A  barren,  rocky  elevation  of 
SOU  feet  high,  was  named  Cape  Beaufort,  after  the 
present  hydrographer  to  the  Admiralty.  A  blufl*  point 
on  tlio  eastern  side  of  the  estuary,  which  he  considered 
to  be  the  northern  extreme,  he  named  Cape  Hay. 
Dean  and  Simpson,  however,  in  1839,  traced  the  shore 
much  beyond  this.  The  difficulties  met  with  here,  be- 
^an  to  dispirit  the  men.  For  a  week  or  ten  days  they 
ad  a  continuation  of  wet,  chilly,  foggy  weather,  and 
^he  only  vegetation,  fern  and  moss,  was  so  wet  that  it 
would  not  burn ;  being  thus  without  fuel,  during  this 
time  they  had  but  one  hot  meal.  Almost  without 
water^  without  any  means  of  warmth,  or  any  kind  of 
warm  or  comforting  food,  sinking  knee-deep,  as  they 
proceeded  on  land,  in  the  soft  slush  and  snow,  no  won- 
kier that  some  of  the  best  men,  benumbed  in  their  limbs 
and  dispirited  by  the  dreary  and  unpromising  prospect 
before  them,  broke  out  for  a  moment,  in  low  murmur- 
iijgs,  that  theirs  was  a  hard  and  painful  duty. 

Captain  Back  found  it  utterly  impossible  to  proceed, 
as  he  had  intended,  to  the  Point  Turnagain  of  Franklin, 
and  after  vainly  essaying  a  land  expedition  by  three  of 
the  best  walkers,  and  these  having  returned,  after  mak- 
ing but  fifteen  miles' Vvi*y,  in  consequence  of  the  heavy 
rains  and  the  swampy  nature  of  the  ground,  he  cam? 
to  the  resolution  of  returning.  Reflecting,  he  says,  on 
the  long  and  dangerous  stream  they  had  to  ascend 
combining  all  the  bad  features  of  the  worst  rivers  i!3 
the  country,  the  hazard  of  the  falls  and  the  rapids,  an.I 
the  slei:der  hope  which  remained  of  their  attaining 
even  a  single  mile  further,  he  felt  he  had  no  choi'-e. 
Assembling,  therefore,  the  men  around  him,  and  ur 
fulling  the  British  flag,  which  was  saluted  with  thret 
cheers,  he  announced  to  them  this  determination.  The 
hititude  of  this  place  was  68°  13'  57"  N.,  and  longitude 
94-°  58  1"  W.  Tlie  extreme  point  seen  to  the  north- 
ward on  the  western  side  of  the  estuary,  in  latitude  08° 
4.6'  N.,  longitude  96   20'  W.,  Back  named  Cape  Kieh 


! 


184 


PROOItKSa   OF    ARCTIC   DISCOVERT, 


I 


ardson.  The  spirits  of  many  of  the  men,  whose  hohltb 
bud  suffered  m'eutly  for  want  of  warm  and  nouriyliing 
r'oud,  now  bnglitened,  and  they  set  to  work  with  ahic- 
rity  to  prepare  for  their  return  journey.  The  boat  Ijo- 
n_2;  dragged  across,  was  brought  to  tlio  ])hice  of  their 
'ornier  Gtation,  after  which  the  crew  went  back  four 
miles  for  tlieir  i)aggage.  The  whole  was  safely  con- 
veyed over  before  the  evening,  when  the  water- casks 
were  broken  up  to  make  a  fire  to  warm  a  kettle  of 
cocoa,  the  second  hot  meal  they  had  had  for  nine  days. 

On  the  15th  of  Au^L'Ust,  they  managed  to  make  their 
way  about  twenty  mdes,  on  tlieir  return  to  the  south- 
wai-d,  through  a  Ijreach  in  the  ice,  till  they  came  to 
open  water.  The  difHculties  of  the  river  were  doul)led 
in  the  ascent,  from  having  to  proceed  against  the  stream. 
All  the  obstacles  of  rocks,  rapids,  sand-banks,  and  long 
portages  had  to  be  faced.  In  some  days  as  many  as 
sixteen  or  twenty  rapids  were  ascended.  They  found, 
us  they  proceeded,  tliat  many  of  the  deposits  of  pro- 
visions, on  which  they  relied,  had  been  discovered  and 
destroyed  by  wolves.  On  the  16th  of  September,  they 
met  Mr.  McLeod  and  his  party,  who  had  been  several 
days  at  Sand  Hill  Bay,  waiting  for  them.  On  the  24th, 
tliey  reached  the  Ah-hel-dessy,  where  they  met  with 
some  Indians.  They  were  ultimately  stopped  by  one 
most  formitlaUle  perj^endicular  fall,  and  as  it  was  found 
impossible  to  convey  the  boat  further  over  so  rugged 
and  mountainous  a  country,  most  of  the  declivities  of 
which  were  coatctl  with  thin  ice,  and  the  whole  hidden 
by  snow,  it  was  here  abandoned,  and  the  party  pro 
ceeded  the  rest  of  the  journey  on  foot,  each  laden  with 
a  ])aek  of  about  75  lbs.  weight. 

Lute  on  the  27th  of  September,  they  arrived  atthoir 
old  habitation.  Fort  Reliance,  after  being  absent  near\v 
four  months,  wearied  indeed,  but  "truly  grateful  for 
the  manifold  mercies  they  had  experienced  in  the 
c'ourse  of  their  long  and  perilous  journey."  Arrange- 
iMiMits  were  now  made  to  pass  the  winter  as  com  fort  a- 
W.y  as  theii  means  would  permit,  and  as  there  was  no 
prohabib't^   that  there  would  le  sufficient  food  in  tha 


OAI'TAIN    BACKS   LAUD   JOUliNEY. 


185 


Mr 


notise  for  the  consnmption  of  the  whole  i»arty,  all  ex- 
cept six  were  sent  with  Mr.  McLeod  to  the  fislieries. 
The  Indians  brought  them  provisions  from  time  to  time, 
and  their  friend  Akaiteho,  with  his  followers,  though 
not  very  successful  in  hunting,  was  not  wanting  in 
his  contributions.  This  old  cliieftain  was,  huwever, 
no  longer  the  same  active  and  important  personage  ho 
had  been  in  the  days  when  he  rendered  such  good 
service  to  Sir  John  Franklin.  Old  age  and  infirmities 
were  creeping  on  him  and  rendering  him  peevish  and 
fickle. 

On  the  2l8t  of  March  following,  having  left  direc- 
tions with  Dr.  King  to  proceed,  at  the  proper  season, 
to  the  Company's  factory  at  Hudson's  ]3ay,  to  embark 
for  England  in  their  spring  ships,  Captain  Back  set 
out  on  his  return  through  Canada,  calling  at  the  Fishe- 
ries to  bid  farewell  to  his  esteemed  friencl,  Mr.  McLeod, 
and  arriving  at  the  Norway  House  on  the  24th,  where 
lie  settled  and  arranged  the  accounts  due  for  stores, 
&c.,  to  the  Hudson's  Bay  Company.  He  proceeded 
thence  to  New  York,  embarked  for  England,  and  ar- 
rived at  Liverpool  on  the  8th  of  September,  after  an 
absence  of  two  years  and  a  half.  Back  was  honored 
with  an  audience  of  his  Majesty,  who  expressed  his  ap- 
probation of  his  efforts  —  first  in  the  cause  of  human- 
ity,  and  next  in  that  of  geographical  and  scientific  re- 
search. He  has  since  been  knighted  ;  and  in  1835,  the 
Royal  Geographical  Society  awarded  him  their  gold 
medal,  (the  Royal  premium,)  for  his  discovery  or  the 
Great  Fish  River,  and  navigating  it  to  the  sea  on  the 
arctic  coast. 

Dr.  King,  with  the  remainder  of  the  party,  (eight 
men,)  reached  England,  in  the  Hudson's  Bay  Com- 
pany's ship,  in  the  following  month,  October. 

Of  Captain  Back's  travels  it  has  been  justly  observed 
that  it  is  impoBHible  to  rise  from  the  perusal  of  them 
without  being  struck  with  astonishment  at  the  extent  of 
sufferings  which  the  human  frame  can  endure,  and  at  the 
simip  time  the  wondrous  display  of  fortitude  which  wa.s 
sxtiibited  under  circumstances  of  so  appnlling  a  nature. 


^^i 

V 

mil 

1 

til  1 

IP 

pi6'  1 

;i' 

'  'If 

% 

1 

ii 

m 


n 


m 


• 


186 


PROGRESS   OF    ARCTIC   DISCOVEBT. 


as  to  invest  the  narrative  wi'  h  the  character  of  a  roman- 
tic fiction,  ratlior  than  an  ui  icxaggerated  tale  of  actual 
reality,  lie,  however,  suffe  ed  not  despair  nor  despon- 
dency to  overcome  him,  bul  gallantly  and  undauntedly 
])ur6ued  his  course,  until  he  returned  to  his  native  land 
t)  add  to  the  number  of  those  noble  spirits  vehose  names 
will  be  carried  to  posterity  as  the  brightest  ornaments 
to  the  country  which  gave  them  birth. 

Captain  Baok*b  Voyage  op  the  Tbbbob. 

In  the  year  1836,  Captain  Back,  who  had  only  re- 
turned the  previous  autumn,  at  the  recommendation  of 
the  Geographical  Society,  undertook  a  voyage  in  thQ 
Terror  up  Hudson's  Strait. 

He  was  to  reach  Wager  River,  or  Repulse  Bay,  and 
to  make  an  overland  journey,  to  examine  the  bottom 
of  Prince  Regent's  Inlet,  sending  other  parties  to  the 
north  and  west  to  examine  the  Strait  of  the  Fury  and 
Hecla,  and  to  reach,  if  possible,  Franklin's  Point  Turn 
again. 

Leaving  England  on  the  14th  of  June,  he  arrived  on 
the  14th  of  August  at  Salisbury  Island,  and  proceeded 
up  the  Frozen  Strait ;  off  Cape  Comfort  the  ship  got 
fi'ozen  in,  and  on  the  breaking  up  of  the  ice  bv  one  ot 
those  frequent  convulsions,  the  vessel  was  drifted  right 
up  the  Frozen  Channel,  grinding  large  heaps  that  op 
posed  her  progress  to  powder. 

Fi-om  December  to  March  she  was  driven  about  by 
the  ftir^  of  the  storms  and  ice,  all  attempts  to  release 
her  being  utterly  powerless.  She  thus  floated  till  the 
loth  of  July,  and  for  three  days  was  on  her  beam-ends ; 
but  on  the  14th  she  suddenly  righted.  The  crazy  vessel 
with  her  gaping  wounds  was  scarcely  able  to  transport 
the  crew  across  the  stormy  waters  of  the  Atlantic,  but 
the  return  voyage  which  was  rendered  absolutely  neces- 
sary, was  fortunately  accomplished  safely. 

I  shall  now  give  a  concise  summary  of  Captain  Sir 
George  Back's  arctic  services,  so  as  to  present  it  more 
readily  to  the  reader: 


i.i 


DEASK  AND  Simpson's  discovkrieb. 


187 


In  1818  ho  was  Admiralty  Mate  on  board  the  Trent, 
-aider  Franklin.  In  1819  he  again  accompanied  liiiri 
on  his  first  overland  journey,  and  was  with  hiin  in  all 
tliose  perilous  sufferings  whicli  are  elsewhere  narrated. 
lie  was  also  as  a  Lieutenant  with  Franklin  on  his  bi;c- 
j>nd  journey  in  1825.  Having  been  in  the  interval  pro 
nioted  to  the  rank  of  Commander,  he  ])roceeded,  in  18o'), 
accompanied  by  Dr.  King  and  a  party,  through  North- 
ern America  to  the  Polar  Sea,  in  search  ot  Ca])tain 
John  Koss.  He  was  posted  on  the  30th  of  September, 
1835,  and  appointed  in  the  following  year  to  the  com- 
mand of  the  Terror,  for  a  voyage  of  discovery  in  Ilud 
son's  Bay. 

Messrs.  Deasb  and  Simpson's  Disooveries. 

In  1836  the  Hudson's  Bay  Company  resolved  upon 
undertaking  the  completion  of  the  survey  of  the  north 
ern  coast  of  their  territories,  forming  the  shores  of 
Arctic  America,  and  small  portions  ot  which  were  left 
undetermined  between  the  discoveries  of  Captains  Back 
and  Franklin. 

They  commissioned  to  this  task  two  of  their  officers, 
Mr.  Thomas  Simpson  and  Mr.  Peter  Warren  Dease,  who 
were  sent  out  with  a  party  of  twelve  men  from  the  com 
pany's  chief  fort,  with  proper  aid  and  appliances.  De- 
scending the  Mackenzie  to  the  sea,  they  reached  and 
surveyed  in  July,  1837,  the  remainder  of  the  western 
part  of  the  coast  left  unexamined  by  Franklin  in  1825, 
from  his  Keturn  Reef  to  Cape  Barrow,  where  the  Bios 
Bom's  boats  turned  back. 

Proceeding  on  from  Return  Reef  two  new  rivers 
were  dtscovered, —  the  Garry  and  the  Coiville ; -the 
latter  more  than  a  thousand  miles  in  length.  Although 
it  was  tlie  height  of  summer,  the  ground  was  found 
frozen  several  inches  below  the  surface,  the  spray  fi-oze 
on  the  oars  and  rigging  of  their  boats,  and  the  ice  hiy 
smooth  and  solid  in  the  bays,  as  in  the  depth  of  winter 

On  the  4th  of  August,  having  left  the  boats  and  pru 
veeded  un  by  land,  Mr.  Simpson  arrived  at  Elson  Bay 
12  H* 


188 


PROG  II  ESS   OF  ^ItCTI 


CJOVKKf. 


which  point  Lieutenant  Elsou  had  reached  in  the  Blo» 
Bom's  barge  in  1826.  . 

The  party  now  returned  to  winter  at  Fort  Confidence, 
on  Great  l3ear  Lake,  whence  they  were  instructed  to 
prosecute  thoir  search  to  the  eastward  next  season,  and 
to  communicate  if  possible  with  Sir  George  Back's 
expedition. 

They  left  their  winter  quarters  on  the  6th  of  June, 
1838,  and  descended  Dease's  River.  They  found  the 
Coppermine  River  much  swollen  by  floods,  and  encum- 
bered with  masses  of  floating  ice.  The  rapids  they  had 
to  pass  were  very  perilous,  as  may  be  inferred  from  the 
followinff  graphic  description: — 

"  We  had  to  pull  for  our  lives  to  keep  out  of  the  suc- 
tion of  the  precipices,  along  whose  base  the  breakers 
raged  and  foamed  with  overwhelming  fury.  Shortly 
before  noon,  we  came  in  sight  of  Escape  Rapid  of 
Franklin ;  and  a  glance  at  the  overhanging  clift'  told  us 
that  there  was  no  alternative  but  to  nm  down  with  a 
fiill  cargo.  In  an  instant,"  continues  Mr.  Simpson,  "we 
were  in  tb«»  vortex ;  and  before  we  were  aware,  my  boat 
was  borne  toward  an  isolated  rock,  which  the  boiling 
surge  almost  concealed.  To  clear  it  on  the  outside  was 
no  longer  possible ;  our  only  chance  of  safety  was  to 
run  between  it  and  the  lofty  eastern  cliff:  ^he  word 
was  passed,  and  every  breath  was  hushed.  A  stream 
which  dashed  down  upon  us  over  the  brow  of  the  preci 
pice  more  than  a  hundred  feet  in  height,  mingled  with 
the  spray  that  whirled  upward  from  the  rapid,  forming 
a  terrific  shower-bath.  The  pass  was  about  eight  feet 
wide,  and  the  error  of  a  single  foot  on  either  side  would 
have  been  instant  destruction.  As,  guided  by  Sinclair's 
consummate  skill,  the  boat  shot  safely  through  those 
jaws  of  death,  an  involuntary  cheer  arose.  Our  next 
impulse  was  to  turn  round  to  view  the  fate  of  our  com- 
raaes  behind.  They  had  profited  by  the  peril  we  in- 
curred, and  kept  without  the  treacherous  rock  in  time.'' 

On  the  Ist  of  July  they  reached  the  sea,  and  en- 
camped at  tl  e  mouth  of  tlie  river,  where  they  waited 
for  tue  openii  g  of  the  ice  till  the  17th.    They  doubled 


Di£A3K    A.ND   SLWr.iON  8    DISCOVKRIES. 


189 


C'dy=i  Barrow,  one  of  the  nortliern  points  of  Bathiirst'a 
[iih  <:,  on  the  29th,  but  were  prevented  crossing  the  inlet 
l»y  die  continuity  of  the  ice,  and  obliged  to  uiako  a 
circuit  of  nearly  150  miles  by  Arctic  Sound. 

Stmie  very  pure  specimens  of  copper  ore  were  found 
on  one  of  the  Barry  Islands.  After  doubling  Capo 
Hinders  on  the  9th  of  August,  the  boats  were  arrested 
bv  the  ice  in  a  little  bay  to  which  the  name  of  Boat 
I  laven  was  given,  situate  about  three  miles  from  Frank- 
lin's farthest,  llere  the  boats  lingered  for  the  best 
part  ol*  a  month,  in  utter  hopelessness.  Mr.  Simpson 
uuslied  on  therefore  on  the  20tn,  with  an  exploring  party 
of  seven  men,  provisioned  for  ten  days.  On  tlie  lirst 
<luy  they  passed  Point  Turnagain,  the  limit  of  Frank- 
lin's survey  in  1821.  On  the  23d  they  had  reached  an 
■il(.'vated  capo,  with  land  apparently  closing  all  round 
'o  the  jiorthward,  so  that  it  was  feared  they  had  only 
•^K'cn  traversing  the  coast  of  a  huge  bay.  But  the 
;)t'iseverance  ot  the  adventurous  explorer  was  fiilly  re- 
warded. 

"^With  bitter  disappointment,"  WTites  Mr.  Simpson, 
•*  I  ascended  the  height,  from  whence  a  vast  and  splen- 
did prospect  burst  suddenly  upon  me.  The  sea,  as  if 
transformwi  by  enchantment,  rolled  its  fierce  waves  at 
my  feet,  and  beyond  the  reach  of  vision  to  the  eastward, 
Islands  of  various  shape  and  size  overspread  its  surface ; 
imd  the  northern  land  terminated  to  the  eye  in  a  bold 
nnd  lofty  cape,  bearing  east  northeast,  thirty  or  forty- 
!ui  es  distant,  while  tlie  continental  coast  trended  away 
southeast.  I  stood,  in  fact,  on  a  remarkable  headland, 
at  the  eastern  outlet  of  an  ice-obstructed  strait.  On  the 
extensive  land  to  the  northward  I  bestowed  the  name 
of  our  most  gracious  sovereign  Queen  Victoria.  Its 
eastern  visible  extremity  I  called  Cape  Pelly,  in  com- 
pliment to  the  governor  of  Hudson's  Bay  Company." 

I'av'ing  reached  the  limits  which  prudence,  dictated 
ir  the  lace  of  the  long  journey  back  to  the  boats,  many 
ot  his  men  too  being  lame,  Mr.  Simpson  retraced  hif 
steps,  and  the  party  reached  Boat-haven  on  the  20th  of 
^\ugust,  having  traced  nearly  140  miles  of  new  coast 


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Tlie,  boats  were  cut  out  of  their  icy  prison,  and  com 
menocd  their  ro-ascent  of  the  Coppermine  on  the  3d  oi 
Septeinher.  At  its  i unction  with  ttie  Kendal  River  the^ 
left  their  boats,  and  shouldering  tlieir  packs,  traversed 
the  barren  pounds,  and  arrived  at  their  residence  on 
tlie  lake  by  tlie  14:th  of  September. 

The  following  season  these  persevering  explorers  com- 
menced their  third  voyage.  Thev  reaclied  the  Bloody 
Fall  on  the  22d  of  June,  1839,  and  occupied  themselves 
for  a  week  in  carefully  examining'  Richardson's  River, 
which  was  discovered  in  the  previous  year,  and  dio- 
charges  itself  in  the  head  of  Back's  Inlet.  On  the  3d 
of  Julj?  they  reached  Cape  Barrow,  and  from  its  rocky 
heights  were  surprised  to  observe  Coronation  Gulf 
almost  clear  of  ice,  while  on  their  former  visit  it  could 
have  been  crossed  on  foot. 

They  were  at  Cape  Franklin  a  month  earlier  than 
Mr.  Simpson  reached  it  on  foot  the  previous  year,  and 
doubled  Cape  Alexander,  the  northernmost  cape  in  this 
quarter,  on  the  28th  of  July,  after  encountering  a  vio 
lent  gale.  They  coasted  the  huge  bay  extending  for 
about  nine  degrees  eastward  from  this  point,  being  fa- 
vored with  clear  weather,  and  protectee!  by  the  various 
islands  they  mot  from  th6  crushing  st'itQ  of  the  ice 
drifted  from  seaward. 

On  the  10th  of  August  they  opened  ft  strait  about 
ten  miles  wide  at  each  extremity,  but  narrowing  to  fouff 
or  five  miles  in  the  center.  This  strait,  which  divides 
the  main-land  from  Boothia,  has  been  called  Simpson's 
Strait. 

On  the  13th  of  August  they  had  passed  Richardson's 
Point  and  doubled  Point  Ogle,  the  fiirthest  point  of 
Back's  journey  in  1834. 

Bv  the  16th  they  had  reached  Montreal  Island  in 
Back's  Estuary,  wnere  they  found  a  deposit  of  pro- 
visions which  Captain  Back  had  left  there  that  day  five 
years.  Tlie  pemmican  was  unlit  for  use,  but  out  of 
several  pounds  of  chocolate  half  decayed  the  men  con- 
trived to  pick  sufficient  to  make  a  kettleful  acceptable 
drink  in  honor  of  the  occasion.    There  were  also  a  tin 


DBASE   AND   SIMPSONS   DISCOVERIES. 


191 


ease  and  a  few  fish-hooks,  of  which,  obsorvcs  Mr. 
SiniDson, "Mr.  Dojise  and  1  took  possession,  as  memo- 
rialfc  of  our  having  breakfasted  on  the  very  spot  where 
the  tent  of  our  gallant,  though  less  successful  precursor 
stood  that  vci-y  day  five  years  before. 

By  the  20th  of  August  they  had  reached  as  far  as 
Aberdeen  Island  to  the  eastward,  from  which  they  had 
a  view  of  an  apparently  large  gulf,  corresponding  with 
th&t  which  had  been  so  correctly  describea  to  Parry  by 
the  intelligent  Esquimaux  female  as  Akkolee. 

From  a  mountainous  ridge  about  three  miles  inland 
a  view  of  laud  in  the  northeast  was  obtained  supposed 
to  be  one  of  the  southern  promontories  of  Boothia. 
High  and  distant  islands  stretching  from  E.  to  E.  N.  E. 
(probably  some  in  Committee  Bay)  were  seen,  and  two 
considerable  ones  were  noted  far  out  in  the  ofting 
Remembering  the  length  and  difliculty  of  their  return 
route,  the  explorers  now  retraced  their  steps.  On  their 
return  voyage  they  traced  sixty  miles  of  the  south  coast 
of  Boothia,  where  at  one  time  they  were  not  more  than 
ninety  miles  from  the  site  of  the  magnetic  jpole,  as  de- 
termined by  Captain  Sir  James  C.  Ross.  On  the  25th 
of  August  they  erected  a  high  cairn  at  their  fai-thcst 
point,  near  Cape  Ilerschel. 

About  150  miles  of  the  high,  bold  shores  of  Victoria 
Land,  as  far  as  Cape  Parry,  were  also  examined ; 
Wellington,  Cambridge,  and  Byron  Bays  being  sur- 
veyed and  accurately  laid  down.  They  then  stretched 
across  Coronation  Gulf,  and  re-entered  the  Copper- 
mine River  on  the  16th  of  September. 

Abandoning  here  one  of  their  boats,  with  the  re- 
mains of  their  useless  stores  and  other  articles  not 
required,  they  ascended  the  river  and  reached  Fort 
Confidence  on  the  24:th  of  September,  after  one  of  the 
longest  and  most  successful  boat  voyages  ever  per- 
formed on  the  Polar  Sea,  having  traversed  more  than 
1600  miles  of  sea. 

In  1838,  before  the  intelligence  of  this  last  trip 
had  been  received,  Mr  Simpson  was  presented  by 
the  Royal  Geograph:  ?a    Society  of  Loudon  with  th^ 


Ii 


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r  -'i 


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192 


PEOOEESS   OF   AEOTIO   DISCOVEET. 


Founder's  Gold  Medal,  for  discovering  and  tracing  iu 
1837  and  1838  about  300  miles  of  t>^<i  arctic  shores ; 
but  the  voyage  which  I  have  just  recorded  has  added 
greatly  to  the  laurels  which  he  and  his  bold  compan- 
ions have  achieved. 

Db.  John  Has's  LAin>  Exfeoition,  1846-47. 

Althouoh  a  little  out  of  its  chronological  order^I 
give  Dr.  Rae's  exploring  trip  before  I  proceed  to  no- 
tice Franklin's  last  voyage,  and  the  different  relief 
expeditions  that  have  been  sent  out  during  the  past 
two  years. 

In  1846  the  Hudson's  Company  dispatched  an  ex 
pedition  of  thirteen  persons,  under  the  command  of 
Dr.  John  Rae,  for  the  purpose  of  surveying  the  unex- 
plored portion  of  the  arctic  coast  at  the  northeastern 
angle  oi  the  American  continent  between  Dease  and 
Simpson's  farthest,  and  the  Strait  of  the  Fury  and 
Hecla. 

The  expedition  left  Fort  Churchill,  in  Hudson's 
Bay,  on  the  5th  of  July,  1846,  and  returned  in  safety 
to  York  Factory  on  the  6th  September  in  the  follow- 
ing year,  after  having,  by  traveling  over  ice  and  snow 
in  the  spring,  traced  the  coast  all  the  way  from  the 
Lord  Mayor's  Bay  of  Sir  John  Ross  to  within  eight 
or  i;en  miles  of  the  Fury  and  Hecla  Strait,  thus  prov- 
ing that  eminent  navigator  to  have  been  correct  in 
stating  Boothia  to  bo  a  peninsula. 

On  the  15th  of  July  the  boats  first  fell  in  with  the 
ic(5,  about  ten  miles  north  of  Cape  Fullerton,  and  it 
was  so  heavy  and  closely  packed  that  they  were 
obliged  to  take  shelter  in  a  deep  and  narrow  inlet 
that  opportunely  presented  itself,  where  they  were 
closed  up  two  days. 

On  the  22d  the  party  reached  the  most  southerly 
opening  of  Wager  fever  or  Bay,  but  were  detained 
the  whole  day  by  the  immense  quantities  of  heavy  ice 
driving  in  and  out  with  the  flood  and  ebb  of  the  tide, 
which  ran  at  the  rate  of  eight  miles  an  hour,  forcing  up 


DR.  JOHN   RAe's   land   EXPEDITION. 


198 


^oe  ice  and  grinding  it  against  the  rocks  with  a  noise 
like  thunder.  On  the  night  of  the  24th  the  boats 
anchored  at  the  head  of  the  Repulse  Bay.  The  follow- 
ing day  they  anchored  in  Gibson's  Cove,  on  the  banks 
of  which  they  met  with  a  small  party  of  Esquimaux  ; 
several  of  the  women  wore  bsads  round  their  wrists, 
which  they  had  obtained  from  Captain  Parry's  ship 
when  at  Igloolik  and  Winter  Island.  But  they  had 
neither  heard  nor  seen  anything  of  Sir  John  Franklin. 

Learning  from  a  chart  drawn  by  one  of  the  natives, 
that  the  isthmus  of  Melville  peninsula  was  only  about 
forty  miles  across,  and  that  oi  this,  owing  to  a  number 
of  large  lakes,  but  five  miles  of  land  would  have  to  be 
passed  over.  Dr.  Rae  determined  to  make  his  way 
over  this  neck  in  preference  to  proceeding  by  Fox's 
Channel  through  the  Fury  and  II  eel  a  Strait. 

One  boat  was  therefore  laid  up  with  her  cargo  in 
security,  and  with  the  other  the  party  set  out,  assisted 
by  three  Esquimaux.  After  traversing  several  large 
lakes,  and  crossing  over  six  "  portages,"  on  the  2d  of 
A^uguBt  they  got  into  the  salt  water,  in  Committee 
Bay,  but  being  able  to  make  but  little  progress  to  the 
northwest,  in  consequence  of  heavy  galea  and  closely 
packed  ice,  he  returned  to  his  starting  point,  and  made 
preparations  for  wintering,  it  being  found  impossible 
to  proceed  with  the  survey  at  that  time.  The  othei 
boat  was  brought  across  the  isthmus,  and  all  hands 
were  set  to  work  in  making  preparations  for  a  long 
and  cold  winter. 

As  no  wood  was  to  be  had,  stones  were  collected  to 
build  a  house,  which  was  finished  by  the  2d  of  Sep- 
tember. Its  dimensions  were  twenty  feet  by  fourteen, 
and  about  eight  feet  high.  The  roof  was  formed  of 
oil-cloths  and  morse-skm  coverings,  the  masts  and 
oars  of  the  boats  serving  as  rafters,  while  the  door 
was  made  of  parchment  snins  stretched  over  a  wooden 
frame. 

The  deer  had  already  commenced  migrating  south- 
ward, but  whenever  he  had  leisure.  Dr.  Rae  shoul- 
dered biB  rifle,  and  had  frequently  good  success,  shoot 


t     Ml  r 


194 


PBOaiiESS   OF   AKCTIO   DISCOVERT. 


Hi;    -i 
i't'    'i 


I . 


B  '■  ! 


log  on  oue  day  Beven  doer  within  two  miles  of  then 
encampment. 

On  the  16th  of  October,  the  thermometer  fell  to 
zero,  and  the  greater  part  of  the  reindeer  had  passed ; 
but  the  party  had  by  this  time  shot  130,  and  during 
the  remainder  of  October,  and  in  November,  thirty- 
two  more  were  killed,  so  that  with  200  partridges  and 
a  few  salmon,  their  snow-built  larder  was  protty  well 
stocked. 

Sufficient  fuel  had  been  collected  to  last,  with  econ- 
omy, for  cooking,  until  the  spring ;  and  a  couple  of 
seals  which  had  been  shot  produced  oil  enough  foi 
their  lamps.  By  nets  set  in  the  lakes  under  the  ice,  a 
few  salmon  were  also  caught. 

After  passing  a  very  stormy  winter,  with  the  tem- 
perature occasionally  47°  below  freezing  point,  and 
often  an  allowance  of  but  one  meal  a  day,  toward  the 
end  of  February  preparations  for  resuming  their  sur- 
veys in  the  spring  were  made.  Sleds,  similar  to  those 
used  by  the  natives,  were  constructed.  In  the  begin- 
ning 01  March  the  reindeer  began  to  migrate  north 
ward,  but  were  very  shy.  One  was  shot  on  the  11th. 
Dr.  Rae  set  out  on  the  5th  of  April,  in  company 
with  three  men  and  two  Esquimaux  as  interpreters, 
their  provisions  and  bedding  being  drawn  on  sleds  by 
four  dogs.  Nothing  worthy  of  notice  occurs  in  this 
exploratory  trip,  till  on  the  18th  Rae  came  in  sight  of 
Lord  Mayor's  Bay,  and  the  group  of  islands  with  which 
it  is  studded.  The  isthmus  which  connects  the  land 
to  the  northward  with  Boothia,  he  found  to  be  only  about 
a  mile  broad.  On  their  return  the  party  fortunately  fell 
in  with  four  Esquimaux,  from  whom  they  obtained  a 
quantity  of  seal's  blubber  for  fuel  and  dog's  food,  and 
some  of  the  flesh  and  blood  for  their  own  use,  enough 
to  maintain  them  for  six  days  on  half  allowance. 

All  the  party  were  more  or  less  affected  with  snow 
blindness,  but  arrived  at  their  winter  quarters  in  Ee- 
pulse  Bay  on  the  5th  of  May,  all  safe  and  well,  but  as 
black  as  negroes,  from  the  combined  effects  of  frost* 
bites  and  oil  smoke. 


DR.  JOHN   RAK  8   LAND    EXPEDITION. 


19S 


On  the  •evening  of  the  13th  May,  Dr.  Rae  again 
started  with  a  chosen  party  of  four  men,  to  trace  the 
west  shore  of  Melville  peninsula.  Each  of  the  men 
carried  about  70  lbs.  weight. 

Being  unable  to  obtain  a  drop  of  water  of  nature's 
thawing,  and  fuel  being  rather  a  scarce  article,  they 
Were  obliged  to  take  small  kettles  of  snow  under  the 
blankets  with  them,  to  thaw  by  the  heat  of  the  body. 

Having  reached  to  about  69°  42'  N.  lat.,  and  85°  8' 
long.,  and-  their  provisions  being  nearly  exhausted, 
they  were  obliged,  much  to  their  disappointment,  to 
turn  back,  when  only  within  a  few  miles  of  the  Hecla 
and  Fury  Strait.  Early  on  the  morning  of  the  30th 
of  May,  the  narty  arrived  at  their  snow  hut  on  Cape 
Thomas  Simp:  m.  The  men  they  had  left  there  were 
well,  but  very  bin,  as  they  had  neither  caught  nor 
shot  any  thing  eatable,  except  two  marmots,  and  they 
were  preparing  to  cook  a  piece  of  parchment  skin  for 
their  supper. 

"  Our  journey,"  says  Dr.  Rae,  "  hitherto  had  beet 
the  most  fatiguing  I  had  ever  experienced ;  the  severe 
exercise,  with  a  limited  allowance  of  food,  had  reduced 
the  whole  party  very  much.  However,  we  marched 
merrily  on,  tightening  our  belts — mine  came  in  six 
inches  —  the  men  vowing  that  when  they  got  on  full 
allowance,  they  would  make  up  for  lost  time." 

On  the  morning  of  the  9th  of  June,  they  arrived  at 
their  encampment  in  Repulse  Bay,  after  being  absent 
twenty-seven  days.  The  whole  party  then  set  actively 
to  work  procuring  food,  collecting  fuel,  and  preparing 
the  boats  for  sea ;  and  the  ice  in  the  bay  having  broken 
up  on  the  11th  of  August,  on  the  12th  they  left  their 
winter  quarters,  and  after  encountering  head  winds 
and  stormy  weather,  reached  Churchill  River  on  the 
31  st  of  August. 

A  gratuity  of  400^  was  awarded  'o  Mr.  Rae,  by  the 
Hudson's  Bay  Company,  for  the  '.'iportant  servioes  be 
bad  thus  rendered  to  'he  cause    i  science. 


r 


196 


PUOOKKSS    OF   ARCTIC    DISCOVERT. 


Oaptain  Sib  John  FkanivLin^s  Last  Expedition. 

1845-61. 

That  Sir  John  Franklin,  now  nearly  bix  yeara  ab* 
sent,  is  alive,  we  dare  not  affirm ;  bnt  that  bis  shipa 
ihould  be  so  utterly  annihilated  that  no  trace  of  them 
GAD  be  discovered,  or  if  they  have  been  so  entirely 
lost,  that  not  a  single  life  should  have  been  saved  to 
relate  the  disaster,  and  that  no  traces  of  the  crew  or 
vessels  should  have  been  met  with  by  the  Esquimaux, 
or  the  exploring  parties  who  have  visited  ana  investi- 
gated those  coasts,  and  bays,  and  inlets  to  so  consid- 
erable an  extent,  is  a  most  extraordinary  circumstance. 
It  is  the  general  belief  of  those  officers  who  have 
served  in  the  former  arctic  expeditions,  that  whatevei 
accident  may  have  befallen  the  Erebus  and  Terror, 
they  cannot  wholly  have  disappeared  from  those  seas, 
and  that  some  traces  of  their  fate,  if  not  some  living 
remnant  of  their  crews,  must  eventually  reward  the 
search  of  the  diligent  investigator.  It  is  possible  that 
they  may  be  found  in  quarters  the  least  expected. 
There  is  still  reason,  then,  for  hope^  and  for  the  great 
and  honorable  exertions  which  that  divine  spanc  in 
the  soul  has  prompted  and  still  keeps  alive. 

"There  is  something,"  says  the  Athenseum,  "in- 
tensely interesting  in  the  picture  of  those  dreary  seas 
amid  whose  strange  and  unspeakable  solitudes  our  lost 
countrymen  are,  or  have  been,  somewhere  imprisoned 
for  so  many  years,  swarming  with  the  human  life  that 
is  risked  to  set  them  free.  No  haunt  was  ever  so  ex- 
citing—  so  fall  of  a  wild  grandeur  and  a  profound 
pathos  —  as  that  which  had  just  aroused  the  arctic 
echoes ;  that  wherein  their  brothers  and  companions 
have  been  beating  fo»  the  track  by  which  they  may 
rescue  the  lost  mariners  fi'om  the  icy  grasp  of  tiie  Ge^ 
uius  )f  the  North.  Fancy  these  men  in  their  adaman 
tine  prison,  wherever  it  may  be,  —  chained  up  by  th« 
polar  spirit  whom  they  had  dared,  —  lingering  through 
years  of  cold  and  darknesp  on  the  stinted  ration  that 
scarcely  feeds  the  blood,  and  the  feeble  hope  that 


VRANKLIN  S   LAST   EXPEDITION. 


197 


"in- 

seas 

Ir  lost 

joned 

that 

JO  ftX- 

bund 
irctic 
lions 
may 

Iman 
th« 

foagh 
that 
that 


scarcely  sustains  the  heart, —  and  then  imagine  the  rush 
of  emotions  to  greet  the  finit  crj^  fr'^.u  that  wild  hunting 
ground  which  snould  reach  thSu  ears  I    Through  many 
Bumtncrs   has  that  cry  oeen  listened  for,  no  doubt 
Something  like  an  expectation  of  the  rescue  which  it 
should  announce  has  revived  with  each  returning  sea- 
son of  comparative  light,  to  die  of  its  own  baffled  in- 
tensity as  the  long  dark  months  once  more  settled  down 
upon  their  dreary  prison-house.  —  There  is  scarcely  a 
(lonbt  that  the  track   being  now  stinick,  these  long- 
pining  hearts  may  be  traced  to  their  lair.    But  what  to 
tl\e  anxious  questioning  which  has  year  by  year  gone 
forth  in  search  of  their  fate,  will  be  the  answer  now 
reveaied  1    The  trail  is  found,  —  but  what  of  the  weary 
feet  that  made  it?    We  are  not  willing  needlessly  to 
alarm  the  public  sympathies,  which  have  been  so  gene- 
rously stirred  on  behalf  of  the  missing  men,  —  but  we 
are  bound  to  warn  our  readers  against  too  sanguine  an 
entertainment  of  the  hope  which  the  first  tidings  of  the 
recent  discovery  is  calculated  to  suggest.    It  is  scarcely 
possible  that  the  provisions  which  are  sufficient  for  three 
years,  and   adaptable  for  four,  can  by  any  economy 
which  implies  less  than  starvation  have  been  spread 
over  five,  —  and  scarcely  probable  that  they  can  have 
been  made  to  do  so  by  the  help  of  any  accidents  which 
the  place  of  confinement  supplied.     We  cannot  hear  of 
this  sudden  discovery  of  traces  of  the  vanished  crews  as 
livinw  men,  without  a  wish  which  comes  like  a  pans 
that  it  had  been  two  years  ago  —  or  even  'ast  year.    It 
makes  the  heart  sore  to  think  how  close  re  .ef  may  have 
been  to  tlieir  hiding-place  in  former  yei^rs  —  when  it 
turned  away.    There  is  scarcely  reason  to  doubt  that 
had  the  present  circumstances  of  the  search  occurred 
two  years  ago  —  last  year  perhaps— the  wanderers 
would   have  been   restored.    Another  year  makes  a 
fi'ightfnl  difference  in  the  odds  :  —  and  we  do  not  think 
the  public  will  eve?-  fesl  P'^tisfied  with  what  has  been 
done  in  this  mattei*  if  th»^  c^itcie  so  long  questioned,  and 
silent  so  long,  shall  apeak  at  last  —  and  tn© answer  shaU 
be. 'It  is  too  late'" 


198 


PBOORES8   OF   AROTIQ  DISCOVERT. 


i 


III 


(.''■i 


In  the  prosecution  of  tlic  noble  enterprise  on  which 
all  eyes  are  now  turned,  it  is  not  merely  scientific  re- 
search and  geographical  discovery  that  are  at  present 
occupying  the  attention  of  the  commanders  of  vessels 
sent  out ;  the  lives  of  human  beings  are  at  stake,  and 
above  all,  the  lives  of  men  who  have  nobly  periled 
every  thing  in  the  cause  of  national  —  nay,  of  universal 
progress  and  knowledge  ;  —  of  men  who  have  evinced 
on  this  and  other  expeditions  the  most  dauntless  bra- 
verv  that  any  men  can  evince.  Who  can  think  of  the 
probable  &te  of  these  gallant  adventurers  without  a 
shudder? 

Alasl  how  truthfully  has  Montgomery  depicted  th« 
&tal  imprisonment  of  vessels  in  these  regions  :  — 

There  lies  a  vessel  in  that  rcaltii  of  frost, 
Not  wrecked,  not  stranded,  yet  forever  lost ; 
Its  keel  embedded  in  the  solid  mass  ; 
Its  glistening  sails  appear  expanded  glass ; 
The  transverse  ropes  with  pearls  enormous  stnu^ 
The  yards  vritix  icicles  grotesquely  hung. 
Wrapt  t  :x>praa8t  shrouds  there  rests  a  boj. 

His  old  ^ing  father's  only  joy  ; 

Sprune  i.o^  a  race  of  rovers,  ocean  bom, 
STurseu  at  the  helm,  ho  trod  dry  land  with  soom , 
Through  fourscore  years  from  port  to  port  he  reu'4  } 
Quicksand,  nor  rock,  nor  foe,  nor  tempest  fear'd ; 
Now  cast  ashore,  thou&;h  like  a  hulk  he  lie^ 
His  BOD  at  sea  is  ever  in  his  eya 
He  ne'er  shall  know  in  his  Nortiaimbrian  cot, 
How  brief  tliat  son's  cai-eer,  how  strange  his  lot ; 
Writhed  round  the  mast,  aud  sepulchr^  in  air« 
Him  shall  no  worm  devour,  nu  vulture  tear ; 
Congeal'd  to  adamant  his  frame  shall  last* 
Though  empires  change,  till  tide  and  time  be  psai 
Mora  shall  return,  and  noon,  and  eve,  and  night 
Meet  here  with  interchanging  shade  and  light ; 
But  from  that  barqne  no  timber  shall  decay, 
Of  these  cold  forms  no  feature  pass  away ;  t 

Perennial  ice  around  th'  encrusted  bow, 
The  peoplcd-deck,  and  fuU-rigg'd  mast  shall  grow 
Till  uom  the  sun  himself  the  whole  be  hid. 
Or  spied  beneath  a  crystal  pyramid : 
As  in  pure  amber  with  divergent  lines, 
A  rugged  shell  embossed  with  soa-wecd,  shine^ 
From  age  to  age  increased  with  aimual  snow, 
This  n^w  Mont  Blanc  among  the  clouds  may  glow 
Whose  conic  ]ieak  that  earliest  greets  tlie  dawn. 
And  latest  from  the  sun's  uhut  eye  withdrawn. 


FKAKKLLN^S   LAST   fiXl'&DITIOa. 


Shall  from  the  Zenith,  through  incumbent  glooi^ 
Burn  liku  a  lamp  upon  UiIh  naval  tomb. 


But  when  th'  archangel's  trumpet  huuikIs  on  high, 

tnrougl 
Ard'leftvt!  ilM  (juaii,  upstarting  at  tJto  call. 


i 


The  pilo  Hhall  burst  to  atoms  through  the  aky, 


NtuuU  and  pale^  before  the  Judge  of  alL 

All  who  read  these  pages  will,  I  am  sure,  feel  the 
>ieepc8t  sympatliy  and  admiration  of  the  zeal,  persever- 
ance, ancl  conjugal  afleetion  displayed  in  the  noble  an  ; 
untiring  efforts  of  Lady  Franklin  to  relieve  or  to  dis- 
cover the  fate  of  her  distinguislied  husband  and  the  *^al- 
lant  party  under  his  command,  despite  the  dithcnUies, 
disaj)pointment8,  and  heart-sickening  "hope  deferred" 
with  which  these  efforts  have  been  attended.  All  men 
must  feel  a  lively  interest  in  the  fate  cf  these  bold  men, 
and  bo  most  desirous  to  contribute  toward  theiF  resto- 
ration to  their  country  and  their  homes.  The  name  of 
the  present  Lady  Franklin  is  as  "familiar  as  a  house- 
hold word  '*  in  every  bosom  in  England  ;  she  is  alike 
the  object  of  our  admiration,  our  sympathy,  our  hopes, 
and  our  prayera.  Nay,  her  name  and  that  of  her  hus- 
band is  breathed  in  prayer  in  many  lands — and,  oh  I 
how  earnest,  how  zealous,  how  courageous,  have  been 
ber  effortfl  to  find  and  relieve  her  husband,  for,  like 
Desdemona, 

*  She  loTed  him  for  the  dangers  he  had  passed, 
And  he  lorod  her  that  she  did  pity  them." 

Row  has  she  traversed  from  port  to  port,  bidding  "Gcjd 
epeed  their  mission "  to  each  public  and  private  sWp 
going  forth  on  the  noble  errand  of  mercy  —  how  freerjr 
and  promptly  has  she  contributed  to  their  comforts. 
How  has  she  watched  each  arrival  from  the  north, 
scanned  each  stray  paragraph  of  news,  hurried  to  the 
Admiralty  on  each  rumor,  and  kept  up  with  unremit- 
ting labor  a  voluminous  correspondence  with  all  the 
quarters  of  the  globe,  fondly  wisliing  that  she  had  the 
wings  of  the  dove,  that  she  might  flee  away,  and  be 
with  him  from  whom  Heaven  has  seen  fit  to  separate 
her  so  long. 

An  American  poet  well  depicts  her  sentiments  in  the 
following  lines : — 


li   I 


M.     ■      i 


.;   li 


W 


200  I'KOOKKSS   OF    AROTIO  DISCOVERF. 

LADY  FRANKLIN'S  APPEAL  TO  THE  NORTa 

Oh,  where,  my  long  lost-onc  I  art  thou, 

'Mid  Arctic  fioas  and  wintry  skies  t 
Deep,  Polnr  night  is  on  me  now, 

And  H()p«,  long  wrecked,  but  mocks  vt  tPtm 
I  am  like  tnee  I  from  frozen  plains 

In  the  drear  zone  and  sunless  air, 
My  dying,  lonely  heart  complain(^ 

And  chills  in  sorrow  and  despair.  ' 

Tell  me,  ye  Noilhern  winds  I  thnt  sweep 

Down  from  the  rayleKS,  thisky  day  — 
Where  ye  have  borne,  and  where  ye  kee^b 

My  well-beloved  within  your  sway; 
Tell  me,  when  next  ye  wiliily  bear 

The  icy  nicssago  in  your  breath, 
Of  my  beloved !    Oh  tell  me  where 

Te  keep  him  on  the  shores  of  deatk 

Toll  me,  ye  Polar  seas !  that  roll 

From  ice-bound  shore  to  "    .ny  isle— 
Tell  me,  when  next  yo  leave  the  Pole, 

Where  ye  have  chained  my  lord  the  whUv) 
On  the  bleak  Noilhern  cliff  I  wait 

With  tear-pii.ned  eyes  to  see  ye  oomef 
Will  ye  not  tell  me;  ere  too  late  f 

Or  will  ye  mock  while  I  am  dumb  t 

Tell  me,  oh  tell  me,  mountain  waves  t 

Whence  have  ye  leaped  and  sprung  to  dtf  t 
BsTe  ye  passed  o'er  their  sleeping  grarei 

That  ye  rush  wildly  on  your  way  T 
Will  ye  sweep  on  and  bear  me  too 

Down  to  the  caves  within  the  deep  t 
Oh,  bring  some  token  to  my  view 

That  ye  my  loved  one  safe  wiU  keep! 

Canst  thou  not  tcU  me.  Polar  Star  I 

Where  in  the  frozen  waste  he  knedtt 
And  on  the  icy  plains  afar 

His  love  to  Ood  and  me  reveals  ? 
Wilt  thou  not  send  one  brighter  my 

To  my  lone  heart  and  aching  evet 
Wilt  thou  not  turn  my  night  to  mj. 

And  wake  my  spirit  ere  I  die  t 

Tell  me,  oh  droary  North  I  for  now 

My  soul  is  like  thine  Arctic  ioim; 
Beneath  tlie  darkened  skies  I  bow. 

Or  ride  the  stormy  sea  alone  t 
Tell  me  of  my  beloved  I  for  I 

Know  not  a  ray  my  lord  withoul  | 
Oh,  tell  mo,  that  I  may  not  die 

A  sorrower  on  the  sea  of  doubt  f 


I*.: 


rUANKLTN*B   LABT  EXPEDITION. 


201 


Id  tho  earl^  part  of  1849,  Sir  E.  Parry  stated,  tlial 
in  olTemng  liis  opinions,  be  did  so  under  a  deep  sense 
of  tho  anxious  and  even  painful  responsibility,  Dotb  at 
regarded  tho  risk  of  life,  as  well  as  the  inferior  consid 
oration  of  expense  involved  in  further  attempts  to  res 
cue  our  gallant  countrymen,  or  at  least  the  surviving 
portion  of  them,  from  tlieir  perilous  position. 

But  it  was  his  deliberate  conviction,  that  the  time 
!iad  not  yet  arrived  when  the  attempt  ought  to  bo  given 
up  as  hopeless  :  the  further  efforts  makmg  might  also 
bo  tho  means  of  determining  their  fate,  and  whether  it 
pleased  God  to  give  success  to  those  efforts  or  uv*  the 
Lords  of  the  Admiralty,  and  tlie  country  at  large,  ^vould 
hereafter  be  better  satisfied  to  have  followea  up  the 
noble  attempts  already  made,  so  long  as  tho  most  dis- 
tant hope  romams  of  ultimate  success. 

In  the  absence  of  authentic  information  of  tho  fate 
of  the  jallant  band  of  adventurers,  it  has  been  well 
observed,  the  terra  incognita  of  tho  northern  coast  of 
Arctic  America,  will  not  only  be  traced,  but  minutely 
surveyed,  and  the  solution  of  the  problem  of  centuries 
will  engage  the  marked  attention  of  the  House  of  Com- 
mons, ana  the  legislative  assemblies  of  other  parts  of 
the  world.  The  problem  l^  very  safe  in  their  hands,  so 
safe  indeed  that  two  years  will  not  elapse  before  it  is 
solved. 

The  intense  anxiety  and  apprehension  now  so  gener- 
ally entertained  for  the  safety  of  Sir  John  Franklin, 
and  the  crews  of  the  Erebus  and  Terror,  under  his  com- 
mand, who,  if  still  in  existence,  are  now  passing  through 
the  severe  ordeal  of  a  fifth  winter,  in  those  inclement 
regions,  imperatively  call  for  every  available  effort  to 
be  made  for  their  rescue  from,  a  position  so  perilous  ; 
and  as  long  as  one  possible  a^  «jnue  to  that  position  re- 
mains unsearched,  the  countv/  will  not  feel  satisfied 
that  every  thing  has  been  dv^ne,  which  perseveranco 
and  experience  can  accomplish,  to  dispel  the  mystery 
which  at  present  surrounds  thjir  fate. 

Capt.  Sir  James  Ross  having  returned  successful  from 
feifi  antarctic  expedition  in  the  close  of  the  preceding 


# 


II 


2oa 


PROGRESS  OF   AKOTIO   DISCOVERT. 


I 


n 


year,  in  the'  spring  of  1845,  the  Lords  Commissioners 
of  the  Admiralty,  upon  the  recommendation  of  Sir 
John  Barrow,  determmcd  on  sending  out  another  ex- 
pedition to  the  North  Pole. 

Accordingly  the  command  was  given  to  Sir  John 
Fr«»»iklin,  wno  re-commissioned  tlie  Erebus  and  Terror 
the  two  vessels  which  had  just  returned  from  the  South 
Polar  Seas.  The  expedition  sailed  from  Sheerness  on- 
the  20th  of  May,  1845.  The  following  are  the  officera- 
belonging  to  these  vessels,  and  for  whose  safety  so  deep 
an  interest  is  now  felt : — 

Erehus, 

Captain  —  Sir  John  Franklin,  K.  C.  H. 
Commander  —  James  Fitzjames,  (Capt.)  ' 
Lieutenants  —  Graham  Gore,  (Commander,)  Henry 

T.  D.  Le  Vesconte,  James  William  Fairholme. 
Mates  —  Chas.  F.  des  Yaux,  (Lieut.,)  Robert  O'Sar- 

gent,  (Lieut.) 
Second  Master  —  Henry  F.  Collins. 
.Surgeon  —  Stephen  S.  Stanley. 
Assistant-Surgeon  —  Harry  D.  S.  Goodsir,  (acting.) 
Paymaster  and  Purser  —  Chas.  11.  Osmer. 
Ice-master  —  James  Reid,  acting. 
58  Petty  Officers,  Seamen,  Ac. 

Full  Complement,  70, 

Terror, 

Captain  —  Fras  1.  M.  Crozier. 

Lieutenants  —  Edward  Little,  (Commander,)  GJeo.  H. 

Hodgson,  John  Irving. 
Mates  —  Frederick  J.  Hornby,  (Lieutenant,)  Kobert 

Thomas,  (Lieut.) 
Ice-master  —  T.  Blanky,  facting.) 
Second  Master  —  G.  A.  Maclean. 
Surgeon  —  John  S.  Peddie. 
Assistant-Surgeon  — Alexander  McDonald. 
Clerk  in  Charge  —  Edwin  J.  H.  Helpman. 
5Y  Petty  OflBcei's,  Seamen,  &c. 

Full  Complement,  68. 


fbanklin's  last  EXPKDITION. 


203 


(berl 


Those  officers  whose  rank  is  within  pareDthesis  have 
been  promoted  during  their  absence. 

The  following  is  an  outline  of  Capt.  Franklin's  ser- 
vices as  recorded  in  O'Byrne's  Naval  Biography  : — 

Sir  John  Franklin,  Kt.,  K.  R.  G.,  K.  0.  IL,  D.  0.  L., 
F.  R.  S.,  was  born  in  1786,  at  Spilsby,  in  Lincolnshire, 
and  is  brother  of  the  late  Sir  W.  Franklin,  Kt.,  Chief 
Justice  of  Madras.  He  entered  the  navy  in  October, 
1800,  as  a  boy  on  board  the  Polyphemus,  64,  Captain 
John  Lawford,  under  whom  he  served  as  midshipmaii 
in  the  action  ofi'  Copenhagen,  2d  of  April,  1801.  He 
then  sailed  with  Captain  Flinders,  in  H.  M.  sloop  In- 
vestigator, on  a  voyage  of  discovery  to  New  Holland, 
joining  there  the  armed  store-ship  Porpoise ;  he  was 
wrecked  on  a  coral  reef  near  Cato  Bank  on  the  17th  of 
August,  1803.  I  shall  not  follow  him  through  all  his 
subsequent  period  of  active  naval  service,  in  which  ho 
displayed  conspicuous  zeal  and  activity.  But  we  find 
him  taking  part  at  the  battle  of  Trafalgar,  on  the  2 1st 
of  October,  1805,  on  board  the  BePerophon,  where  he 
was  signal  midshipman.  He  was  connrmed  as  Lieu- 
tenant, on  board  the  Bedford,  74,  11th  of  February, 
1808,  and  he  then  escorted  the  loyal  family  of  Portugal, 
from  Lisbon  to  South  America.  He  was  engaged  in 
very  arduous  services  during  the  expedition  against 
New  Orleans,  in  the  close  of  1814,  and  was  slightly 
wounded  in  boat  service,  and  for  his  brilli£.nt  services  on 
this  occasion,  was  warmly  and  officially  rec^T->raended 
for  promotion.  On  the  14th  of  January,  lol8,  he  as- 
sumed command  of  the  liircd  brig  Trent,  in  which  he 
accompanied  Captain  D.  Buchan,  of  the  Dorothea,  on 
the  perilous  voyage  of  discovery  to  the  neighborhood 
of  Spitzbergoii,  which  I  have  fully  recorded  elsewhere. 
In  April,  1819,  having  paid  off  the  Trent  in  the  pre 
ceding  November,  he  was  invested  with  the  conduct 
of  an  expedition  destined  to  proceed  overland  from  the 
shores  of  Hudson's  Bay,  for  the  purpose  more  particu- 
larly of  ascertaining  the  actual  position  of  the  mouth 
of  the  C'>ppermine  Iliver,  and  the  exact  trending  of  the 
ehorcs  of  the  Polar  Sea,  to  the  eastward  of  that  river 
13  1 


M 


v  n^ 


u 

m 


lii 


]•., 


r;  1  ■ 


201 


PROGRESS  Of    AROnO  DISCOVERT. 


The  details  of  this  fearinl  undertaking,  which  en- 
dured until  the  summer  of  1822,  and  in  tno  course  of 
which,  he  readied  as  far  as  Point  Turnagain,  in  latitude 
08°  19'  N.,  and  longitude  109°  25'  W.,  and  effected  a 
journev  altogether  of  6550  miles.  Captain  Franklin 
lias  ably  set  forth  in  his  "  Narrative  of  a  Journey  tc 
the  Shores  of  the  Polar  Sea,  in  the  year  1819-22,"  and 
which  I  have  abridged  in  preceding  pages.  He  was 
promoted  to  the  rank  of  Commander,  on  the  Ist  of 
January,  1821,  and  reached  his  post  rank  on  the  20th 
of  November,  1822.  On  the  16th  of  February,  1825, 
this  energetic  officer  again  left  England  on  another  cx- 
pediticr^  to  the  Frozen  Regions,  having  for  its  object  a 
co-operation  with  Captains  F.  W.  Beechoy,  and  vV.  E. 
Parry,  in  ascertaining  from  opposite  quarters  the  ex- 
istence of  a  northwest  passage.  The  results  of  this 
mission  will  be  found  in  detail  in  Captain  Franklin's 
"Narrative  of  a  Second  Expedition  to  the  Shores  of  the 
Polar  Sea,  in  1825-7." 

On  his  return  to  England,  where  he  arrived  on  the 
26th  of  Sept.,  1827,  Iranklin  was  presented  by  the 
Geographical  Society  of  Paris,  with  a  gold  medal  val- 
ued at  1200  francs,  for  having  made  the  most  important 
acquisitions  to  geographical  Knowledge  during  tne  pre- 
ceding year,  and  on  the  29th  of  April,  1829,  he  received 
the  honor  of  knighthood,  besides  being  awarded  in  July 
following  the  Oxford  degree  of  a  D.  C.  L. 

From  1830  to  1834,  he  was  in  active  service  in  com- 
mand of  II.  M.  S.  Rainbow,  on  the  Mediterranean  sta- 
tion, and  for  his  exertions  dnring  that  period  as  con- 
nected with  the  troubles  in  Greece,  was  presented  with 
the  order  of  the  Redeemer  of  Greece.  Sir  John  was 
created  a  K.  C.  H.  on  the  25th  of  January,  1836,  and 
was  for  some  time  Governor  of  Yan  Diemen's  Land. 
He  married,  on  the  16th  of  August,  1823,  Eleanor 
Anne,  youngest  daughter  of  W.  Porden,  Esq.,  architect, 
of  Bemers  Street,  London,  and  secondly,  on  the  5th  of 
November,  1828,  Jane,  second  dauguter  of  John  Gri^ 
fin,  Esq.,  of  Bedford  Place. 

Captain  Crozier  was  in  all  Parry's  expeditious,  ha? 


ik 


rUANKLINa    L\fyr    EUVhSimON. 


205 


iog  bften  midehipraau  vj  the  Fury  in  1821,  ia  tbo 
llecla  in  1824,  went  ov'i  ns  Lieutenant  in  tlie  Ilecla, 
with  Parry,  on  his  boat  expedition  to  the  Pole  in  1827, 
volunteered  in  1836  to  gu  out  in  search  of  the  missing 
whalers  and  their  crev/s  to  Davis'  Straits,  was  made  a 
Captain  in  1841,  and  was  second  in  command  of  the 
Antarctic  expedition  under  Sir  James  Ross,  and  on  his 
return,  appointed  to  the  Terror,  as  second  in  command 
under  Franklin. 

Lieutenant  Gore  served  as  a  mate  in  the  last  fearful 
voyage  of  the  Terror,  under  Back,  and  was  also  with 
Ross  in  the  antarctic  expedition.  He  has  attained  his 
commander's  rank  during  his  absence. 

Lieutenant  Fairholme  was  in  the  Niger  expedition. 

Lieutenant  Little  has  also  been  promoted  during  hia 
absence,  and  so  have  all  the  mates. 

Connnander  Fitzjaraes  is  a  brave  and  gallant  officer, 
who  has  seen  nmch  service  in  the  East,  and  has  attained 
to  his  post  rank  smce  his  departure. 

The  Terror,  it  may  be  remembered,  is  the  vessel  in 
which  Captain  Sir  6.  Back  made  his  perilous  attempt 
to  reach  Repulse  Bay,  in  1836. 

Tiie  Erebus  and  Terror  were  not  expected  home  un- 
less success  had  early  rewarded  their  efforts,  or  some 
casualty  hastened  their  return,  before  the  close  of  1847, 
nor  were  any  tidings  anticipated  from  them  in  the  in- 
terval ;  but  when  tne  autumn  of  1847  arrived,  without 
uny  intelligence  of  the  ships,  the  attention  of  H.  M. 
Government  was  directed  to  the  necessity  of  searching 
for,  and  conveying  relief  to  them,  in  case  of  their  being 
imprisoned  in  the  ice,  or  wrecked,  and  in  want  of  pro- 
visions and  means  of  transport. 

For  this  purpose  a  searching  expedition  in  three 
divisions  was  fitted  out  by  the  government,  in  the  early 
part  of  1848.  The  investigation  was  directed  to  three 
different  quarters  simultaneously,  viz  :  1st,  to  that  by 
which,  in  case  of  success,  the  ships  would  come  out  of 
the  Polar  Sea,  to  the  westward,  or  Behring's  Straits. 
This  consisted  of  a  single  ship,  the  Plover,  commanded 
by  Captain  Moore,  w^hich  lefl  England  in  the  latter  end 


t     A< 


ii  ! 


m 


206 


PROGRESS   OF   ARCTIC   DISCOVERT. 


of  January,  for  the  purpose  of  entering  Behring's  Strait 
It  was  intended  that  she  shouM  arrive  there  in  the 
month  of  J  uly,  and  having  looked  out  for  a  winter  har- 
bor, she  might  send  out  her  boats  northward  and  east- 
ward, in  which  directions  the  discovery  ships,  if  suc- 
cessful, would  be  met  with.  The  Plover,  however,  in 
her  first  season,  never  even  approached  the  place  of  her 
destination,  owing  to  her  settmg  off  too  late,  and  to  her 
bad  sailing  properties. 

Her  subsequent  proceedings,  and  those  of  her  boat* 
along  the  coast,  will  be  found  narrated  in  after  pages. 

The  second  division  of  the  expedition  was  one  of 
boats,  to  explore  the  coast  of  the  Arctic  Sea  between 
the  Mackenzie  and  Coppermine  Rivers,  or  from  the 
135th  to  the  115th  degi-ee  of  W.  longitude,  together 
with  the  south  coast  of  WoUaston  Land,  it  being  sup- 
posed, that  if  Sir  John  Franklin's  party  haji  been  com- 
pelled to  leave  the  saij^s  and  take  to  the  boats,  they 
would  make  for  this  coast,  whence  they  could  reach  the 
Hudson's  Bay  Company's  posts.  This  party  was  placed 
under  the  command  of  the  faithful  friend  of  Fi-ankliii, 
and  the  comppnion  of  his  former  travels,  Dr.  Sir  John 
Richardson,  who  landed  at  New  York  in  April,  184:8, 
and  hastened  to  join  his  men  and  boats,  which  were 
already  in  advance  toward  the  arctic  shore,  lie  was, 
however,  unsuccessful  in  his  search. 

The  remaining  and  most  important  portion  of  this 
Bearchin<r  expedition  consisted  of  two  ships  under  the 
command  of  Sir  James  Ross,  which  sailed  in  Muy,  1848, 
for  the  locality  in  which  Franklin's  ships  entei-ed  on 
this  course  of  discovery,  viz.,  the  eastern  side  of  Davis' 
Straits.  These  did  not,  however,  succeed,  owing  to  tlio 
state  of  the  ice  in  getting  into  Lancaster  Sound  until 
the  season  for  operations  had  nearly  closed.  Tiiese  ships 
wintered  in  the  neighborhood  of  Leopold  Island,  Regent 
Inlet,  and  missing  the  store-ship  sent  out  with  pro- 
visions and  fuel,  to  enable  them  to  stop  out  another 
year,  were  driven  out  through  the  Strait  by  the  pack 
of  ice,  and  returned  home  unsuccessful.  The  subse- 
quent expeditions  consequent  upon  the  failure  of  tht 


fbankun's  last  expedition. 


HOT 


foregoing  will  be  found  fuUj  detailed  and  .larrated  in 
tlieir  proper  order. 

Among  the  number  of  volunteers  for  the  service  of 
exijloration,  in  the  difterent  searching  expeditions,  were 
the  following: — Mr.  Chas.  Rcid,  lately  commanding 
the  whaling  ship  Pacific,  and  brother  to  the  ice-master 
on  board  tue  Erebus,  a  man  of  great  experience  and 


resi 


he  Rev.  Joseph  Wolff,  who  went  to  Bokhara  in 
search  of  Capt.  Conolly  and  Col.  Stoddart. 

Mr.  John  McLean,  who  had  passed  twenty-five  years 
as  an  officer  and  partner  of  the  Hudson's  Bay  Company, 
and  who  has  recently  published  an  interesting  narra- 
tive of  his  experience  in  the  northwest  regions. 

Dr.  Richard  King,  who  accompanied  Capt.  Back  in 
his  land  journey  to  the  mouth  of  the  Great  Fish  River. 

Lieut.  Sherard  Osborn,  R.  N.,  who  had  recently  gone 
out  in  the  Pioneer,  tender  to  the  Resolute. 

Commander  Forsyth,  R.  N.,  who  volunteered  for  all 
the  expeditions,  and  was  at  last  sent  out  by  Lady  Frank- 
lin in  the  Prince  Albert. 

Dr.  McCormick,  R.  N.,  who  served  under  Captain  Sir 
E.  Parry,  in  the  attempt  to  reach  the  North  Pole,  in  1827, 
who  twice  previously  volunteered  his  services  in  184.7. 

Capt.  Sir  John  Ross,  who  has  gone  out  in  the  Felijc, 
fitted  out  hj  the  Hudson's  Bay  Company,  and  by  pri- 
vate subscriptions ;  and  many  others. 

Up  to  the  present  time  no  intelligence  of  any  kind 
lias  been  received  respecting  the  expedition,  and  its 
fate  lb  now  exciting  the  most  intense  anxiety,  not  only 
on  the  part  of  the  British  government  and  public,  but 
of  the  whole  civilized  world.  The  maratirae  powers  of 
Europe  and  the  United  States  are  vying  with  each  other 
^s  to  who  shall  be  the  first  to  discover  some  trace  of  the 
nissing  navigators,  and  if  they  be  still  alive,  to  render 
.hem  assistance.  The  Hudson's  Bay  Company  have, 
with  a  noble  liberalitv,  placed  all  their  available  re- 
sources of  men,  provisions,  and  the  services  of  their 
chief  and  most  experienced  traders,  at  the  disposal  oft 
governme^it,    The  Kussian  authorities  have  also  give» 


I 


%l 


-.■!■     ! 


I  !l' 


B'f 


\  :. 


(    ■ 


203     • 


PiiOOKLtiS  OF  AKCriC  DIBOOV£liT. 


every  facility  for  difirusin^  iDformation  and  affording 
iiBisistance  in  their  territories. 

In  a  letter  from  Sir  John  Franklin  to  Colonel  Sabine, 
dated  from  the  Whale  Fish  Islands,  9th  of  July,  1845, 
after  noticing  that,  including  what  they  had  received 
from  the  transport  which  had  accompanied  them  so  far, 
tlie  Erebus  ana  Terror  had  on  board  provisions,  fuel, 
clothing  and  stores  for  three  years  complete  from  that 
date,  i.  e.  to  July,  1848,  he  continues  as  follows: — "1 
hope  my  dear  wife  and  daughter  will  not  be  over-anxious 
if  we  should  not  retm-n  by  the  time  they  have  fixed  upon ; 
and  I  must  beg' of  you  to  give  them  the  benefit  of  your 
udvice  and  experience  when  that  arrives,  for  you  know 
well,  that  even  after  the  second  winter,  without  success 
in  our  object,  we  should  wish  to  try  some  other  channel, 
if  the  state  of  our  provisions,  and  the  health  of  the 
crews  justify  it. 

Capt.  Dannett,  of  the  whaler.  Prince  of  Wales,  while 
in  Melville  Bay,  last  saw  the  vessels  of  the  expedition, 
moored  to  an  iceberg,  on  the  26th  of  July,  in  lat.  74° 
48'  N.,  long.  66'^  13'  W.,  waiting  for  a  favorable  open- 
ing through  the  middle  ice  from  J3afiin's  Bay  to  Lancas- 
ter Sound.  Capt.  Dannett  states  that  during  three  weeks 
after  parting  company  with  the  ships,  he  experienced 
very  fine  weather,  and  thinks  they  would  have  made 
good  progress. 

Lieut.  Griffith,  in  command  of  the  transport  which 
accompanied  them  out  with  provisions  to  Baffin's  Bay, 
re]iort8  that  he  left  all  hands  well  and  in  high  spirits. 
They  were  then  famished,  he  adds,  with  every  species 
of  provisions  for  three  entire  years,  independently  of 
five  bullocks,  and  stores  of  every  description  for  the 
same  period,  with  abundance  of  fuel. 

The  following  is  Sir  John  Franklin's  official  lottoi 
Bent  home  by  the  transport :  — 

"  Jler  Majestifs  Ship  *  Erebus^ 
<*  Whale-Fish  Islands,  12th  of  July,  1846. 

•*  I  have  the  honor  to  acquaint  you,  for  the  informa- 
tion of  the  Lords  Commissioners  of  the  Admiralty,  that 


FRAMCLIN^B   LAST   KXPKDITiON. 


209 


45. 


her  Majesty's  ships  Erebus  and  Terror,  with  the  trans- 
oort,  arrived  at  this  anchorage  on  the  4th  instant,  hav- 
ing had  a  passage  of  one  month  from  Stromness :  the 
transport  was  immediately  taken  alongside  this  ship, 
that  she  might  be  the  more  readily  cleared ;  and  we 
liave  been  constantly  employed  at  that  operation  till 
last  evening,  the  delay  having  been  caused  not  so 
much  in  getting  the  stores  transferred  to  either  of  the 
Bhips,  as  in  making  the  best  stowage  of  them  below, 
as  well  as  on  the  upper  deck  ;  the  snips  are  now  com- 
plete with  supplies  of  every  kind  for  three  years;  they 
are  therefore  very  deep;  but,  happily,  we  have  no 
reason  to  expect  much  sea  as  we  proceed  farther. 

"The  magnetic  instruments  were  landed  the  same 
morning  ;  so  also  were  the  other  instruments  requisite 
for  ascertaining  the  position  of  the  observatory ;  and 
it  is  satisfactory  to  find  that  the  result  of  the  observa- 
tions for  latitude  and  longitude  accord  very  nearly 
with  those  assigned  to  the  same  place  by  Sir  Edward 
Parry;  those  for  the  dip  and  variation  are  equally  sat- 
isfactory, which  were  made  by  Captain  Crozier  with 
the  instruments  belonging  to  the  Terror,  and  by  Com- 
mander Fitzjames  with  those  of  the  Erebus. 

"  The  ships  are  now  being  swung,  for  the  purpose 
of  ascertaining  the  dip  and  deviation  of  the  needle  on 
board,  as  was  done  at  Greenhithe,  which,  I  trust,  will 
be  completed  this  afternoon,  and  I  hope  to  be  able  to 
sail  in  the  night. 

"The  governor  and  principal  persons  are  at  this 
time  absent  from  Disco,  so  that  I  nave  not  been  able 
to  receive  any  communication  from  head  quarters  as 
to  the  state  of  the  ice  to  the  north  ;  I  have,  however, 
(carnt  from  a* Danish  carpenter  in  charge  of  the  Es- 
quimaux at  these  islands,  that  though  the  winter  was 
bevere,  the  spring  was  not  later  £han  usual,  nor  was 
the  ice  later  in  breaking  away  hereabout;  he  supposes 
also  that  it  is  now  loose  as  far  as  74°  latitude,  and  that 
our  prospect  is  favorable  of  getting  across  the  barrier, 
aiul  as  far  as  Lancaster  Sound,  without  much  obstruo 
tiou. 


.  ! 


1    ! 


;■*■■.« 


I 


/ 


210 


PUOGKKSS   OP  AKOTIO   DISCOVERT. 


"The  transport  will  sail  for  England  this  daj.  1 
Bliall  instruct  the  agent,  Lieutenant  Griffiths,  to  pro> 
ceed  to  Deptford,  and  report  his  arrival  to  the  Secio- 
tary  of  the  Admiralty.  I  have  much  satisfaction  in 
bearing  my  testimony  to  the  careful  and  zealous  man 
ner  in  whic.b.  Lieut.  Griffiths  has  performed  the  scrvico 
intrusted  to  him,  and  would  beg  to  recommend  him, 
as  an  officer  who  appears  to  have  seen  much  service, 
to  the  favorable  consideration  of  their  lordships. 

"It  is  unnecessary  for  me  to  assure  their  lordships 
of  the  energy  and  zeal  of  Captain  Crozier,  Commander 
Fitzjaraes,  and  of  the  officers  and  men  with  whom  J 
have  the  happiness  of  being  employed  on  this  service 
"  I  have,  &c., 
(Signed )  John  Franklin,  Captain. 

«*The  Right  Bfon.  II.  L.  Corry,  M.  P." 

It  has  often  been  a  matter  of  surprise  that  but  one 
of  the  copper  cylinders  which  Sir  John  Franklin  was 
instructea  to  tlirow  overboard  at  stated  intervals,  to 
record  his  progress,  has  ever  come  to  hand,  but  a  re- 
cent sight  of  the  solitary  one  which  has  been  received 
proves  to  me  that  they  are  utterly  useless  for  the 
purpose.  A  small  tube,  about  the  size  of  an  ordi- 
nary rocket-case,  is  hardly  ever  likely  to  be  observed 
among  hnge  masses  of  ice,  and  the  waves  of  the  At- 
lantic and  Pacific,  unless  drifted  by  accident  on  shore, 
or  near  some  boat.  The  Admiralty  have  wisely  or- 
dered them  to  be  rendered  more  conspicuous  by  being 
headed  up  in  some  cask  or  barrel,  instructions  being 
issued  to  Captain  CoUinson,  and  other  officers  of  the 
different  expeditious  to  that  effect. 

According  to  Sir  John  Richardson,  who  was  on  inti- 
mate terms  with  Sir  John  Franklin,  his  plans  were  to 
shape  his  course  in  the  first  instance  for  the  neighbor- 
hood of  Cape  Wall^er,  and  to  push  to  the  westward  in 
that  parallel,  or,  if  that  could  not  be  accomplished,  to 
make  his  way  southward,  to*the  channel  discovered  on 
the  north  coast  of  the  continent,  and  so  on  to  Behring'a 
StraitB ;  failing  success  in  that  quarter,  he  meant  to  re- 
trace his  course  to  Wellington  Sound,  and  attempt  a 


FRANKUN'S   last   EXPKDinOH. 


Sll 


or- 


passage  northward  of  Parry's  Llaiuls,  and  if  foiled  there 
also,  to  descend  Regent  Inlet,  and  seek  the  passage 
along  the  coa^t  discovered  hy  Messrs.  Dease  and  Simp- 
son. 

Captain  Fitzjaraes,  the  second  in  command  nnder 
Sir  John  FranKlin,  was  much  inclined  to  try  the  pas- 
sage northward  of  Parry's  Islands,  and  he  would  no 
doubt  endeavor  to  persuade  Sir  John  to  pursue  this 
course  if  they  failed  to  the  southward. 

In  a  private  letter  of  Captain  Fitzjames  to  Sir  John 
Barrow,  dated  January,  1845,  he  writes  as  follows  :  — 

"  It  does  not  appear  clear  to  rae  what  led  Parry  down 
Prince  Regent  Inlet,  after  having  got  as  fur  as  Melville 
Island  berore.  The  northwest  passage  is  certainly  to 
be  gone  through  by  Barrow's  Strait,  but  whether  south 
or  north  of  Parry'n  Group,  remains  to  be  proved.  I  am 
for  goinc^  north,  edging  northwest  till  in  longitude  140°, 
if  possible." 

I  shall  now  proceed  to  trace,  in  chronological  order 
and  succession,  the  opinions  and  proceedings  of  the 
chief  arctic  explorers  and  public  authorities,  with  the 
private  su«^fjestions  oflTercd  and  notice  in  detail  the  re- 
lief expeditions  resulting  tfierefrom. 

In  February,  1847,  the  Lords  of  the  Admiralty  state, 
that  having  unlimited  confidence  in  the  skill  and  re- 
sources of  Sir  John  Franklin,  they  "  have  as  yet  felt  no 
apprehensions  about  his  safety  ;  but  on  the  other  hand, 
it  IS  obvious,  that  if  no  accounts  of  him  should  arrive 
by  the  end  of  this  year,  or,  as  Sir  John  Ross  expects,  at 
an  earlier  period,  active  steps  must  then  be  taken." 

Captahi  Sir  Edward  Parry  fully  concurred  in  these 
views,  observing, "  Former  experience  has  clearly  shown 
that  with  the  resources  taken  from  this  country,  tw^o 
winters  may  be  passed  in  the  polar  regions,  not  only  in 
safety,' but  with  comfort ;  and  if  anv  inference  c^n  be 
drawn  from  the  absence  of  all  intelligence  of  the  ex  »e- 
dition  up  to  this  time,  I  am  disposed  to  consider  it  ra- 
ther in  favor  than  otherwise  of  the  success  which  ias 
attended  their  efforts." 

Captain  Sir  G.  Back,  in  a  letter  to  the  Secretarj  of 


212 


rUOGKESS   OF   AliCTIC    DISCO VEHY. 


I.  1   i,, 


i 


the  Admiralty,  u.ider  date  27tli  of  January,  1848,  eayB 
"I  cannot  bring  myself  to  entertain  mure  than  ordi- 
nary anxiety  fur  the  safety  and  return  of  Sir  John 
Franklin  and  his  gallant  companions." 

Captain  Sir  John  Ross  records,  in  February,  1847, 
his  opinion  that  the  expedition  was  frozen  up  beyond 
Melville  Island,  from  the  knovn  intentions  of  Sir  John 
Franklin  to  put  his  ships  into  the  drift  ice  at  the  west- 
ern end  of  Melville  Island,  h  risk  whicli  was  deemed 
in  the  highest  degree  imprudent  by  Lieutenant  Parry 
and  the  officers  of  the  expedition  of  1819-20,  with 
ships  of  a  less  draught  of  water,  and  in  every  respect 
better  calculated  to  sustain  the  pressure  of  the  ice,  and 
other  dangers  to  which  they  must  be  exposed ;  and  as 
it  is  now  well  known  that  the  expedition  has  not  suc- 
ceeded in  passing  Behring's  Strait,  and  if  not  totally 
lost,  must  have  been  carried  by  the  ice  that  is  known 
to  drift  to  tho  southward  on  land  seen  at  a  great  dis- 
tance in  that  direction,  and  from  which  the  accumu- 
lation of  ice  behind  them  will,  as  in  Ross's  own  case, 
forever  prevent  the  return  of  the  ships ;  consequently 
they  must  be  abandoned.  When  we  remember  wilh 
what  extreme  difficulty  Ross's  party  traveled  300  miles 
over  much  smoother  ice  after  they  abandoned  their 
vessel,  it  appears  very  doubtful  whether  Franklin  and 
his  men,  138  in  number,  could  possibly  travel  60G 
miles. 

In  the  contingency  of  the  ships  having  penetrated 
some  considerable  distance  to  the  southwest  of  Cape 
Walker,  and  having  been  hampered  and  crushed  in  the 
narrow  channels  of  the  Archipelago,  which  there  are 
reasons  for  believing  occupies  the  space  between  Vic- 
toria, Wollaston,  and  Banks'  Lands,  it  is  well  re- 
marked by  Sir  John  Richardson,  that  such  accidents 
among  ice  are  seldom  so  sudden  but  that  the  boats  of 
one  or  of  both  ships,  with  provisions,  can  be  saved-, 
and  in  such  an  event  the  survivore  would  either  returc 
to  Lancaster  Strait,  or  make  for  the  continent,  accord 
ing  to  their  nearness. 

Colonel  Sabine  remarks,  in  a  letter  dated  "Woolv^icJ\ 


ted 
me 
the 


of 
d-, 

IT 

Ird 


franklin's    LABT    EXl'KDITION. 


213 


5th  of  May,  1847, — "It  was  Sir  John  Franklin's  inten- 
tion, if  foiled  at  one  point,  to  try  in  siicceseion  all  the 
nrohable  tipcnings  into  a  more  navigable  part  of  the 
rolar  Sea:  the  range  of  coast  is  considerable  in  which 
memorials  of  the  ships'  progress  wonld  iiave  to  be 
sought  for,  extending  from  Melville  Island,  in  the  west, 
to  the  great  Sound  at  the  head  of  Baffin's  Bay,  in  the 
east." 

Sir  John  Eichardson,  when  appealed  to  by  the  Admi- 
ralty in  the  spring  of  1847,  as  regarded  the  very  strong 
apprehensions  expressed  at  that  time  for  the  safety  ot 
the  expedition,  considered  they  were  premature,  us  the 
ships  were  specially  equipped  to  pass  two  winters  in 
the  Arctic  Sea,  and  until  the  close  of  that  year,  he  saw 
no  well-grounded  cause  for  more  anxiety  than  was  nat- 
urally felt  when  the  expedition  sailed  from  this  country 
on  an  enterprise  of  peril,  though  not  greater  than  that 
which  had  repeatedly  been  encountered  by  others,  and 
on  one  occasion  by  oir  John  Ross  for  two  winters  also, 
but  who  returned  in  safety. 

Captain  Sir  James  C.  Koss,  in  March,  1847,  writes* 
^'I  do  not  think  there  is  the  smallest  reason  for  appre- 
hension or  anxiety  for  the  safety  and  success  of  the 
expedition ;  no  one  acquainted  with  the  nature  of  the 
navigation  of  the  Polar  Sea  would  have  expected  iluiy 
would  have  been  able  to  get  through  to  Behring's  Strait 
without  spending  at  least  two  winters  in  those  regions, 
except  under  unusually  favorable  circumstances,  which 
all  the  accounts  from  the  whalers  concur  in  proving 
they  have  not  experienced,  and  I  am  quite  sure  neither 
Sir  John  Franklin  nor  Captain  Crozier  expected  to  do  so. 

"Their  last  letters  to  me  from  Whale  Fish  Islands 
I  he  day  previous  to  their  departure  from  them  inform 
ue  that  they  had  taken  on  board  provisions  for  three 
years  on  ftdl  allowance,  which  they  could  extend  to  four 
years  without  any  serious  inconvenience ;  so  that  we 
may  feel  assured  they  cannot  want  from  that  cause  until 
after  the  middle  of  July,  1849  ;  it  therefore  does  not 
appear  to  me  at  all  desirable  to  send  after  them  until  the 
•pring  of  the  next  year."  (1848.) 


iif 


i  j:. 

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1 

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1.      n 

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k 

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i    i     I 


r  ,!> 


91^ 


PROOUE88   OP   AltCriO  DI8<X)VEETt 


"  In  the  plan  submitted  by  Captain  F.  W.  Bccclicy, 
CI.  N.,  in  April,  1847,  uller  j)remi8lng  "that  there  does 
not  at  present  appear  to  bo  any  reasonable  apprtilicu-. 
eiou  for  the  safety  of  tl'e  expedition,"  ho  suggested  tliat 
it  would  perhaps  be  prudent  that  a  relief  expedition 
should  be  sent  out  that  season  to  Cape  Walker,  wiieiv 
information  of  an  important  nature  would  most  likely 
be  found.  From  tliia  vicinity  one  vessel  could  j)rocced 
to  examine  the  various  points  and  headlands  in  Regent 
Inlet,  and  also  those  to  the  northward,  while  the  other 
watclied  the  passage,  so  that  Franklin  and  his  party 
might  not  pass  unseen,  should  he  be  on  his  return.  At 
the  end  ot  the  season  the  ships  could  winter  at  Poi  t 
Bowen,  or  any  other  port  in  the  vicinity  of  LeopoM 
Island. 

"  In  tlie  spring  of  1848,"  he  adds,  "a  party  should  bo 
directed  to  explore  the  coast,  down  to  Ilecla  and  Fury 
Strait,  and  to  endeavor  to  communicate  with  the  party 
dispatched  by  the  Hudson's  Bay  Company  in  that  direc- 
tion ;  and  in  connection  with  this  part  of  the  aiTange- 
ment,  it  would  render  the  plan  complete  if  a  boat  couhl 
bo  sent  down  Back's  River  to  range  the  coast  to  the 
eastward  of  its  mouth,  to  meet  the  above  mentioned 
party  ;  and  thus,  while  it  would  complete  the  geography 
of- that  part  of  the  American  coast,  it  would  at  the  same 
time  complete  the  line  of  information  as  to  the  extensive 
measures  of  relief  which  their  lordships  have  set  on 
foot,  and  the  precise  spot  where  assistance  and  depots 
of  provisions  are  to  be  found.  This  part  of  the  plan 
has  suggested  itself  to  me  from  a  conversation  I  had 
with  Sir  John  Franklin  as  to  his  first  effort  beinjy  made 
to  the  westward  and  southwestward  of  Cape  walker. 
It  is  possible  that,  after  passing  the  Cape,  he  may  havf 
oeen  successful  in  getting  down  upon  Victoria  Land 
ind  have  passed  his  first  winter  (1845)  thereabout,  and 
that  he  may  have  spent  his  second  winter  at  a  still  more 
advanced  station,  and  even  endu  ed  a  third,  without 
either  a  prospect  of  success,  or  of  an  extrication  of  his 
vessels  within  a  given  period  of  time. 

"If,  in  this  condition,  which  I  trust  may  not  be  the 


OPINfONB   AND   SITGOESTIONB. 


215 


owe,  Sir  John  Franklin  should  resolve  up:)n  taking  to 
his  hoats,  ho  would  prefer  atteniptin*^  a  boat  navigutio!? 
through  Sir  .lames  Koss's  Strait,  and  up  Kcgent  Inlet, 
to  a  long  land  journey  across  the  (;t»ntinent,  to  the  Hud- 
son's Bay  Settlements,  to  which  the  greater  jmrt  of  hie 
crow  would  be  wliolly  unequal." 

Sir  John  Richardson  renuirks  upon  the  above  sugges- 
fions,  on  the  5th  of  May,  1847, — "With  respect  to  a 

J>arty  to  be  sent  down  Back's  Kiver  to  the  bottom  of 
tegent  Inlet,  its  size  and  outfit  would  require  to  be 
equal  with  that  of  tlie  one  now  preparing  to  descend 
the  Mackenzie  River,  and  it  could  scarcely  with  the 
utmost  exertions  be  organized  so  as  to  start  this  sum- 
mer. The  present  scarcity  of  provisions  in  the  Hudson's 
Bay  country  precludes  the  hope  of  assistance  from  the 
Company's  southern  posts,  and  it  is  now  too  late  to 
provide  the  means  of  transport  through  the  interior  of 
supplies  from  this  country,  which  require  to  be  embarked 
on  board  the  Hudson's  Bay  ships  by  the  2d  of  June  at 
the  latest. 

^* Moreover  there  is  no  Company's  post  on  the  line  ot 
Back's  River  nearer  than  the  junction  of  Slave  River 
with  Great  Slave  Lake,  and  I  do  not  think  that  under 
any  circumstances  Sir  John  Franklin  would  attempt 
that  route. 

"  In  the  summer  of  1849,  if  the  resources  of  the  party 
I  am  to  conduct  remain  unimpaired,  as  I  have  every 
reason  to  believe  they  will,  much  of  what  Capt.  Beechey 
suggests  in  regard  to  exploring  Victoria  Land  may  be 
done  by  it,  and  indeed  forms  part  of  the  original  scheme. 
The  extent  of  the  examination  of  any  part  of  the  coast 
in  1848  depends,  as  1  formerly  stated,  very  much  on 
♦he  seasons  of  this  autumn  and  next  spring,  which  influ- 
ence the  advance  of  the  boats  throuorh  a  long  course  of 


river 


navigation.     As  Governor  Si 


impson  will  most 
likely  succeed  in  procuring  an  Esquimau^  to  accom- 
pany my  party,  I  nope  by  his  means  to  obtain  such 
information  from  parties  of  that  nation  as  may  greatly 
facilitate  our  finding  the  ships,  should  they  be  detained 
in  that  quarter 


:Ui.  ! 


iiiifi^- 


i 


Wl, 


216 


rU'idliKSrt   OK    AUCTIO    niHUOVKRT. 


"Were  Sir  .Joliii  Franklin  thrown  upon  the  north 
I'oast  of  tlm  continent  with  h\n  lumtH,  und  all  his  crow, 
1  do  not  thii»k  ho  would  attoni[>t  tho  ascent  of  .".ny  river, 
cx(!Ci)t  the  Mackenzie.  It  in  navi«^al)Ie  for  boats  of  lar<4;e 
drau«;-ijt,  without  a  porta^^e,  for  I.'JOO  miles  from  the 
sea,  or  within  forty  miles  of  Fort  (.■hii)i;wyan,  one  of 
the  CompanyV  principal  dej)ots,  and  there  are  live 
other  posts  in  that  distance.  Tiiou;i;h  tliese  posts  could 
not  furnish  provisions  to  such  a  party,  they  could,  hy 
provitlinij;  them  with  nets,  and  distrihutiiifr  the  men  to 
various  iishin;^  stations,  do  much  toward  procuring  food 
for  them. 

"1  concur  p^enerally  in  what  Captain  Beechey  has 
eaiil  with  regard  to  Hehrin«^'s  Straits,  a  locality  with 
which  he  is  st)  intinuitely  accpuiinted,  l)ut  beg  leave  to 
add  one  renuirk,  viz:  tiiat  in  high  northern  latitudes 
the  ordinary  allowance  of  aninuil  food  is  insuflicient  in 
the  winter  season  to  maintain  a  laboring  man  in  health  ; 
and  as  Sir  John  Franklin  would  deem  it  prudent  when 
detained  a  second  winter  to  shorten  tno  allowance, 
symptoms  of  scurvy  may  show  themselvea  among  the 
men,  as  was  the  case  when  Sir  Edwa  d  Parry  wintered 
two  years  in  Fox^s  Channel. 

"  A  vessel,  therefore,  meeting  tho  Erobus  and  Terror 
tliis  season  in  Behring's  Straits,  might  render  great 
Bcrvico."  * 

Tho  late  Sir  John  Barrow,  Bart.,  in  a  memorandum 
dated  July,  1847,  says  : — 

"  The  anxiety  that  prevails  regarding  Sir  John  Frank- 
lin, and  the  brave  fellows  who  compose  tho  crows  of 
tho  two  ships,  is  very  natural,  but  sotnewhat  premature  ; 
it  arises  chiefly  from  nothing  having  been  received  from 
them  since  fixed  in  the  ice  of  Baffin's  Bay,  where  the 
last  whaling  ship  of  the  season  of  1845  left  them,  oppo- 
site to  the  opening  into  Lancaster  Sound.  Hitherto  no 
difticidty  luis  been  found  to  the  entrance  into  that 
Bound.  If  disappointed,  rather  than  rt^turn  to  the  south- 
ward, w  tb  the  view  of  wintering  at  or  about  Disco,  1 

•  Pari  Paper,  \o.  264,  Setwion  184& 


M 


.%-vr 


Ol'INIONS    AND   SUOOfCSTIONB. 


217 


filiould  1)0  incliruMl  to  tliink  tliut  tlioy  would  endeavor  to 
cnhu-  SinitlTH  Sound,  so  highly  Hookcsn  of  by  Jkllin,  and 
which  jiiHt  now  that  gsiliiitit  and  advcsnturouH  UnsHian, 
Admiral  Count  Wrangi'I,  han  })ointed  out  in  a  pajior 
addressed  to  the  Geo^raj)hiail  Society  a^  the  Htartjn^ 
j»hieo  for  an  atten4)t  to  reach  the  North  Pole;  it  would 
appear  to  he  an  inlet  that  runn  up  high  to  the  northward, 
art  an  oflieer  in  one  of  Parry's  Hliips  states  that  he  saw 
In  the  line  of  direction  along  that  inlet,  the  sun  at  mid- 
night skimming  the  horizon. 

"  From  Lancaster  Sound  Franklin's  instructions  di- 
r  H'.ted  him  to  proceed  through  Barrow's  Strait,  as  far  as 
tlie  islands  on  its  southern  side  extendcul,  which  is  short 
of  Melville  Island,  which  was  to  \w  avoided,  not  only 
on  account  of  its  dangerous  coast,  hut  also  as  being  out 
of  the  direction  of  the  course  to  the  intended  ooject. 
Having,  therefore,  reached  the  last  known  land  on  the 
southern  side  of  Parrow's  Strait,  they  were  to  shape 
a  direct  course  to  Peliring's  Strait,  without  any  devia- 
tion, except  what  obstruction  might  bo  met  with  from 
ice,  or  from  islaTids,  in  the  midst  of  the  Polar  Sea,  of 
which  no  knowledge  had  at  that  time  been  procured  ; 
but  if  any  such  existed,  it  would  of  course  be  left  to 
their  judgment,  on  the  spot,  how  to  get  rid  of  such  ob- 
structions, by  taking  a  northerly  or  a  southerly  course. 

"  The  oidy  chance  of  bringing  them  upon  this  (the 
A.merican)  coast  is  the  possibility  of  some  obstniction 
having  tempted  them  to  explore  an  immense  inlet  on 
the  northern  shore  of  Barrow's  Strait,  (short  of  M<  i 
vilie  Island,)  called  Wellington  Channel,  which  Parry 
felt  an  inclination  to  explore,  and  more  than  one  of 
the  present  party  betrayed  to  me  a  similar  inclination, 
which  I  discouraged,  no  one  venturing  to  conjecture 
even  to  what  extent  it  might  go,  or  into  what  dililcultiea 
it  might  lead. 

"  Under  all  these  circumstances,  it  would  be  an  act 
of  .folly  to  pronounce  any  opinion  of  the  state,  condi- 
tion, or  position  of  those  two  ships :  they  are  well  puitcd 


,j 


5  r 


i*  J 


t^   M 


^:!:M"i: 


I  I 


i!  ;; 


218 


PROGRESS   OF*AR0TI0  DISCOVERT. 


for  their  purpose,  and  the  only  donbt  I  have  is  that  jf 
their  being  hampered  by  the   crews  among  the  ice.^' 

Sir  James  C.  Koss,  in  his  outline  of  a  plan  for  afford 
ing  relief,  submitted  to  the  Admiralty  in  December 
1847,  suggested  that  two  ships  should  be  sent  out  t( 
examine  Wellington  Channel,  alluded  to  in  the  forego 
ing  memorandum  of  Sir  John  Barrow,  and  the.  coas 
between  Capes  Clarence  and  "Walker.    A  convenien 
winter  harbor  might  be  foimd  for  one  of  the  ships  nt^ai 
Gamier  Bay  or  Cape  Eennell.    From  this  position  the 
coast  line  could  be  explored  as  far  as  it  extended  to  the 
westward,  by  detached  parties,  early  in  the  spring,  as 
well  as  the  western  coast  of  Boothia,  a  considerable 
distance  to  the  southward ;  and  at  a  more  advanced 
period  ofthe  season  the  whole  distance  to  Cape  Nicolai 
miffht  be  completed. 

The  other  ship  should  then  proceed  alone  to  the 
westward,  endeavoring  to  reach  Winter  Harbor,  in 
Melville  Island,  or  some  convenient  port  in  Banks' 
Land,  in  which  to  pass  the  winter. 

From  these  points  parties  might  be  sent  ont  early  in 
the  spring. 

The  first  party  should  be  directed  to  trace  the  west- 
ern coast  of  Banks'  Land,  and  proceed  direct  to  Cape 
Bathurst  or  Capo  Parry,  on  each  of  which  Sir  John 
Richardson  proposes  to  leave  depots  of  provisions  for 
its  use,  and  tiien  to  reach  the  Hudson's  Bay  Company's 
settlement  at  Fort  Good  Hope,  on  the  Mackenzie, 
whence  they  might  travel  by  the  usual  route  of  the 
traders  to  the  pnncipal  settlement,  and  thence  to  Eng- 
land. 

Tlie  second  party  should  explore  the  eastern  shore  of 
Banks'  Land,  and  make  for  Cape  Krusenstem,  where, 
or  at  Cape  Ilearne,  they  will  find  a  cache  of  provision 
left  by  Sii"  John  Richardson,  with  whom  this  party 
may  communicate,  and  whom  it  may  assist  in  comple- 
ting tlic  examination  of  Wollaston  and  Victoria  Lands, 
or  return  to  England  by  the  route  he  shall  deem  most 
advisable.  • 

Sir  James  Ross  was  intrusted  with  the  carrying-out 


.  !■> 


OPINIONS   AND   SUaOFSTIONS. 


219 


i-e, 
oil 

lo- 

l8, 


of  this  search,  in  the  Enterprise  and  Investigator,  and 
an  account  of  the  voyage  and  proceedings  of  these  ves- 
sels will  be  ibiind  recorded  in  its  chronological  order. 

The  following  letter  from  Dr.  Richard  King  to  tho 
Lords  of  the  Admiralty  contains  some  useful  sugges- 
tions, although  it  is  mixed  up  with  a  good  deal  of  egcv 
tistical  remark: — 

"  17,  Savllle  Row^  February^  1848. 

"*The  old  route  of  Parry,  through  Lancaster  Sound 
and  Barrow's  Strait,  as  far  as  to  the  Last  land  on  its 
southern  shore,  and  thence  in  a  direct  line  to  Behring's 
Straits,  is  the  route  ordered  to  bo  pursued  by  Frank- 
lin.' * 

"The  gallant  officer  has  thus  been  di8])atched  to  push 
his  adventurous  way  b<itween  Melville  Island  and 
Banks'  Land,  which  Sir  K.  Parry  attempted  for  two 
years  unsuccessfully.  A.fter  much  toil  and  hardship, 
and  the  best  consideration  thftt  great  man  could  give 
to  the  subject,  he  recorded,  at  the  moment  of  retreat, 
in  indelible  characters,  these  impressive  thoughts : 
'We  have  been  lying  near  our  present  station,  with 
an  easterly  wind  blowing  fresh,  for  thirty-six  hours 
together,  and  although  this  was  considerably  off  the 
land,  the  ice  had  not  during  the  whole  of  that  time 
moved  a  single  yard  from  the  shore,  affording  a  proof 
that  there  was  no  space  in  which  the  ice  was  at  liberty 
to  move  to  the  westward.  The  navigation  of  this  part 
of  the  Polar  Sea  is  only  to  be  performed  bv  watching 
the  occasional  opening  between  the  ice  and  the  shore, 
lud  therefore,  a  continuity  of  land  is  essential  for  this 
purpose;  such  a  continuity  of  land,  which  was  here 
about  to  fail,  as  must  necessarily  be  furnished  by  the 
northern  coast  of  America,  in  whatsoever  latitude  it 
may  be  found.'  Assuming,  therefore,  Sir  John  Frank- 
lin has  been  arrested  between  Melville  Island  and 
Banks'  Land,  where  Sir  E.  Parry  was  airested  by  dif- 
ficulties which  he  considered  insurmountable,  and  h' 
has  follewod  the  advice  of  that  gallant  officer,  am^ 


\ 


i! 


f   ! 


U 


14 


•  BaiTow'a  Arctic  Vojagea,  p.  11. 


*  '■'■ 


mm  \. 


I   1 


220 


riiOOKKSS    OF    AliC'llC)    lUSUOVKUY. 


made  for  the  continuity  of  America,  ho  will  have 
turned  the  prows  of  his  vessel  south  and  west,  accord- 
ing as  BanKs'  Land  tends  for  Victoria  dr  Wollaston 
Lands.  It  is  here,  therefore,  that  we  may  expect  to 
tind  the  exj)edition  wrecked,  whence  they  will  maku 
in  their  boats  for  the  western  land  of  North  Somerset, 
if  that  land  should  not  be  too  far  distant. 

"In  order  to  save  the  party  from  the  ordeal  of  a 
fourth  winter,  when  starvation  must  be  their  lot,  I 
propose  to  undertake  the  boldest  journey  that  has  ever 
l)een  attempted  in  the  northern  regions  of  America, 
one  which  was  justifiable  only  from  the  circumstances. 
I  propose  to  attempt  to  reach  the  western  land  of  North 
Somerset  or  the  eastern  portion  of  Victoria  Land,  as 
may  be  deemed  advisable,  by  the  close  of  tlie  ap- 
proaching summer;  to  accomplish,  in  fact,  in  one  sum- 
mer that  which  has  not  been  done  under  two. 

"  I  rest  my  hope  of  Buccess  in  the  performance  of 
tliis  Herculean  task  upon  the  fact,  that  I  possess  an  in- 
timate knowledge  of  the  country  and  the  people  through 
which  I  shall  have  to  pass,  the  health  to  stand  the 
rigor  of  the  climate,  ana  the  strength  to  undergo  tlie 
fatigue  of  mind  and  body  to  which  I  must  be  subjected. 
A  glance  at  the  map  of  North  America,  directed  to 
Behring's  Strait  in  the  Pacific,  Barrow's  Strait  in  the 
Atlantic,  and  the  land  of  North  Somerset  between 
them,  will  make  it  apparent  that,  to  render  assistance 
to  a  party  situated  on  that  coast,  there  are  two  ways  by 
sea  and  one  by  land.  Of  the  two  sea-ways,  the  route 
by  the  Pacific  is  altogether  out  of  the  question  ;  it  is  an 
idea  of  by-gone  days  ;  while  that  by  the  Atlantic  is  so 
doubtful  of  success,  that  it  is  merely  necessary,  to  put 
this  assistance  aside  as  far  from  certain,  to  mention  that 
Sir  John  Ross  found  Barrow's  Strait  closed  in  the  sum- 
mer of  1832.  To  a  land  journey,  then,  alone  we  can 
look  for  success  ;  for  the  failure  of  a  land  journey 
would  be  the  exception  to  the  rule,  while  the  sea  expe- 
dition would  he  the  rule  itself.  To  the  western  land  of 
North  SomeiRct,  where  Sir  John  Franklin  is  likely  to 
be  found,  the  Great  Fish  River  is  the  direct  and  only 


M 


! 


if 

to 


omNloNS   AND  SUOOE8TION8. 


221 


route ;  and  iilthough  tlio  approach  to  it  is  throiigli  a 
country  too  poor  and  too  ditricult  of  access  to  admit  of 
tlio  transport  of  provisions,  it  may  be  made  tlie  medi- 
um of  communication  between  the  lost  expedition  and 
tlio  civilized  world,  and  guides  bp  thus  placed  at  their 
disposal  to  convey  tliem  to  the  hunting  grounds  of  the 
Indians.    Without  such  guides  it  is  imposwible  that 
Hiey  can  reach  these  hunting  grounds.     It  was  by  the 
(Ireat  Fish  River  that  I  reached  the  Polar  Sea  while 
acting  as  second  officer,  in  search  of  Sir  John  lloss. 
I  feel  it  my  duty,  therefore,  as  one  of  two  officers  so 
peculiarly   circumstanced,  at  the  present  moment  to 
place  my  views  on  record,  as  an  earnest  of  my  sincer- 
ity.    Even  if  it  should  be  determined  to  try  and  force 
provision  vessels  through  Barrow's  Strait,  and  scour 
tlio  vicinity  in  boats  for  the  lost  expedition,  and  should 
it  succeed,  it  will  be  satisfactory  to  know  that  such  a 
mission  as  I  have  proposed  should  be  adopted  ;  while, 
if  these  attempts  should  fail  aiul  the  service  under  con 
sideration  be  put  aside,  it  will  be  a  source  of  rem*et 
that  not  only  the  nation  at  hirge  will  feel,  but  the  whole 
civilized  world.     When  this  regret  is  felt,  and  every 
soul  has  perished,  such  a  mission  as  I  have  proposed 
will  be  urged  again  and  again  for  adoption  ;  for  it  is 
iinpossible  that  the  country  will  rest  satisfied  until  a 
search  be  made  for  the  remains  of  the  lost  expedition. 
"  The  fact  that  all  lands  which  have  a  western  aspect 
are  mjnerally  ice-free,  which  I  dwelt  largely  upon  when 
Sir  John  Franklin  sailed,  must  have  had  weight  with 
the  gallant  officer  ;  he  will  therefore,  on  iinding  him- 
self in  a  serious  difficulty,  while  pushing  along  the  east- 
ern side  of  Victoria  Land,  at  once  fall  upon  the  western 
land  of  North  Somerset,  as  a  refuge  ground,  if  he  have 
the  opportunity.    The  eftbrt  by  fteliring's  Strait  and 
Hanks'  Land  is  praiseworthy  in  attempt,  but  forlorn  in 
hope.     In  the  former  effort,  it  is  assumed  that  Sir  John 
Franklin  has  made  the  passage,  and  that  his  arrest  is 
between  the  Mackenzie  River  and  Icy  Cape  ;  in  the 
latter,  that  Sir  James  Ross  will  reach  Banks'  Land,  and 
trace  its  continuity  to  Victoria  and  Wollaston  Land, 


i  il 

ill 


!!! 


;  ! 


i(  ' 


d22 


PROaEESS   OF  AECrriO  DISCOVERY. 


('  ■ 


Pi  (' 


'kW^ 


and  thus  make  the  * jpassaffe.'  First,  We  have  no  rea. 
8on  to  believe  tliat  Sir  John  Franklin  and  Sir  James 
Ross  will  be  more  fortunate  than  their  predecessors, 
and  we  cannot  trust  to  their  success.  Secondly,  We 
are  unable  to  assume  that  Sir  James  Ross  will  reach 
Bank's  Land  ;  Sir  E.  Parry  was  unable  to  reach  it,  and 
only  viewed  it  from  a  distance  ;  much  less  are  we  able 
to  assume  that  the  gallant  officer  will  find  a  high  road 
to  Victoria  Land,  wnich  is  altogether  a  terra  incognita. 

"  Mr.  T.  Simpson,  who  surveyed  the  arctic  coast 
comprised  between  the  Coppermine  and  Castor  and 
Pollux  Rivers,  has  set  that  (j[uestion  at  rest,  and  is  tlie 
only  authority  upon  the  subject.  *  A  further  explora- 
tion,' remarks  Mr.  Simpson,  from  the  most  eastern  limit 
of  his  journey, '  would  necessarily  demand  the  whole 
time  and  energies  of  another  expedition,  having  some 
point  of  retreat  much  nearer  to  tne  scene  of  operations 
than  Great  Bear  Lake,  and  Great  Bear  Lake  is  to  be 
the  retreat  of  Sir  John  Richardson.' 

"  What  retreat  could  Mr.  Simpson  have  meant  but 
Greiat  Slave  Lake,  the  retreat  of  the  land  party  in  search 
of  Sir  John  Ross  ?  and  what  other  road  to  the  unex- 
ploved  ground,  the  western  land  of  North  Somerset, 
could  tJiat  traveler  have  meant  than  Great  Fish  River, 
that  stream  which  I  have  pointed  out  as  the  ice  free 
and  high  road  to  the  land  where  the  lost  expedition  is 
likely  to  be  found, —  to  be  the  boundary  of  that  pass- 
age which  for  three  and  a  half  centuries  we  have  been 
in  vain  endeavoring  to  reach  in  ships  ? " 

Captain  Sir  W.  E.  Parry,  to  whom  Dr.  King's  pro- 
posal was  submitted  by  the  Admiralty,  thus  comments 
on  it : — 

"  My  former  opinion,  quoted  by  Dr.  King,  as  to  the 
difficulty  of  ships  penetrating  to  the  westward  beyond 
Cape  Dundas,  (the  southwestern  extremity  of  Melville 
Island.)  remains  unaltered  ;  and  I  should  expect  that 
Sir  John  Franklin,  being  aware  of  this  difficulty,  would 
use  his  utmost  eiForts  to  get  to  the  southward  and  west- 
ward before  he  approached  that  point,  that  is,  between 
the  100th  and  110th  degi-ee  of  longitude.    The  more  i 


1 


OPINIONS   AND   SPGOESTIOWS 


228 


have  considered  this  subject,  (which  has  naturally  occu- 
pied much  of  mj  attention  lately,)  the  more  diHicuU  1 
find  it  to  conjecture  where  the  expedition  may  have 
stopped,  either  with  or  without  any  serious  accident  to 
tlie  ships  ;  but  as  no  information  has  reached  us  up  to 
this  time,  I  conceive  that  there  is  some  considerable 
probability  of  their  being  situated  somewhere  between 
the  longitude  .1  have  just  named  ;  how  far  they  ma^ 
have  penetrated  to  the  southward,  between  those  meri- 
dians, must  be  a  matter  of  speculation,  depending  on 
the  state  of  the  ice,  and  the  existence  of  land  in  a  space 
hitherto  blank  on  our  maps. 

"  Be  this  as  it  may,  I  consider  it  not  improbable,  an 
suggested  by  Dr.  King,  that  an  uttem23t  will  be  made 
by  them  to  fall  back  on  the  western  coast  of  North 
Somerset,  wherever  that  may  be  found,  as  being  the 
nearest  point  affording  a  hope  of  communication,  either 
with  whalers  or  with  ships  sent  expressly  in  search  of 
the  expedition. 

"Agreeing  thus  far  with  Dr.  King,  I  am  compelled 
to  differ  with  him  entirely  as  to  the  readiest  mode  of 
reaching  that  coast,  because  I  feel  satisfied  that,  with 
the  resources  of  the  expedition  now  equipping  under 
Sir  James  Ross,  the  energy,  skill,  and  intelligence  of 
that  officer  will  render  it  a  matter  of  no  very  difficult 
enterprise  to  examine  the  coast  in  question,  either  with 
liis  ships,  boats,  or  traveling  parties ;  whereas  an  at- 
tempt to  reach  that  coast  by  an  expedition  from  the 
continent  of  America  must,  as  it  appears  to  me,  be  ex- 
tremely hazardous  and  uncertain.  And  as  I  under- 
stand it  to  be  their  lordships'  intention  to  direct  Sir 
James  Ross  to  station  one  of  nis  ships  somewhere  about 
Cape  "Walker,  while  the  other  proceeds  on  the  search, 
and  likewise  to  equip  his  boats  specially  for  the  pur- 
pose of  examining  the  various  coasts  and  inlets,  I  am 
decidedly  of  opinion,  that,  as  regards  the  western  coast 
of  North  Somerset,  this  plan  wid  be  much  more  likely 
to  answer  the  proposed  object,  than  any  overland, 
expedition.  This  object  will,  of  course,  bo  the  ipore 
easily  accomplished  in  case  of  Sir  James  Ross  finding 


m 


Is  '    ' 


iJ24 


PROGRESS  OF  AitCno   DISCJCVEBY. 


tlio  western  coast  of  North  Somerset  navigable  for  liis 

fillips. 

"  In  regard  to  Dr.  King's  suggestion  respecting  Vic 
toria  Land  and  Wollaston  Land,  supposing  Sir  John 
Franklin's  ships  to  have  been  arrested  between  the 
meridians  to  which  I  have  already  alluded,  it  does 
seem,  by  an  inspection  of  the  map,  not  improbable  that 
parties  may  attempt  to  penetrate  to  the  continent  in 
that  direction  ;  but  not  being  well  acquainted  with  the 
facilities  for  reaching  the  coast  of  America  opposite 
those  lands  in  the  manner  proposed  by  Dr.  King,  I  am 
not  competent  to  judge  of  its  practicability." 

Nearly  the  whole  of  the  west  coast  of  North  Somer- 
set and  "feoothia  was,  (it  will  be  found  hereafter,)  ex- 
plored by  parties  in  boats  detached  from  Sir  James 
Ross's  ships  in  1849. 

I  append,  also,  the  most  important  portions  of  Sir 
James  Ross's  remarks  on  Dr.  King's  plan. 

"  Dr.  King  begins  by  assuming  that  Sir  John  Frank- 
lin has  attempted  to  push  the  ships  through  to  the  west- 
ward, between  Melville  Island  and  Banks'  Land,  (al- 
though directly  contrary  to  his  instructions ;)  that  hav- 
ing been  arrested  by  insurmountable  difficulties,  ho 
would  have  *  turned  the  prows  of  his  vessels  to  the 
south  and  west,  according  as  Banks'  Land  tends  for 
Victoria  or  Wollaston  Land  ;'  and  having  been  wrecked, 
or  from  any  other  cause  obliged  to  abandon  their  ships, 
their  crews  would  take  to  tne  boats,  and  make  for  the 
west  coast  of  North  Somerset. 

"If  the  expedition  had  failed  to  penetrate  to  the 
westward  betweem  Banks'  Land  and  Melville  Island,  it 
is  very  probable  it  would  have  next  attempted  to  gain 
the  continent  by  a  more  southerly  course  ;  and  suppos- 
ing that,  after  making  only  small  progress,  (sav  100 
miles,)  to  the  southwest,  it  should  have  been  then  finally 
stopped  or  wrecked,  the  calamity  will  have  occurred 
in  about  latitude  72  i°  N.,  and  longitude  115°  W.  Tliis 
•  point  is^only  280  miles  from  the  Coppermine  River 
and  420  miles  from  the  Mackenzie,  either  of  whicl 
would,  therefore,  bo  easily  attainable,  and  at  each  of 


OPINIONS    AND   SUG0ESTI0N8. 


225 


which,  abundance  of  provision  might  be  procured  hy 
them,  and  their  return  to  Engluua  a  measure  of  no 
great  difficulty. 

"  At  the  point  above  mentioned,  the  distance  from 
the  west  coast  of  North  Somerset  is  orobably  about  3G0 
miles,  and  the  mouth  of  the  Great  1  ioh  Kiver  full  500 ; 
at  neither  of  these  places  could  they  hope  to  obtain  a 
single  day's  provisions  for  so  large  a  party;  and  Sir 
John  Franklin's  intimate  knowleoge  of  the  impossibil- 
ity of  ascending  that  river,  or  obtaining  any  food  for 
his  party  in  passing  through  the  Barren  grounds,  won  Id 
concur  in  deterring  him  from  attempting  to  gain  either 
of  these  points. 

"I  think  it  most  probable  that,  from  the  situation 
pointed  out,  he  would,  when  compelled  to  abandon  iiis 
ehips,  endeavor  in  the  boats  to  retrace  his  steps,  and 
passing  through  the  channel  by  which  he  had  advanced, 
and  which  we  have  alwavs  found  of  easy  navigation, 
seek  the  whale  ships  which  annually  visit  the  west  coast 
of  Baffin's  Bay. 

"  It  is  far  more  probable,  however,  that  Sir  John 
Franklin,  in  obedience  to  his  instructions,  would  en 
deavor  to  push  the  ships  to  the  south  and  west  as  soon 
as  they  passed  Cape  AValker,  and  the  consequence  of 
such  a  measure,  owing  to  the  known  prevalence  of 
westerly  wind,  and  the  drift  of  the  main  body  of  the 
ice,  would  be  (in  my  opinion)  their  inevitable  embarrass- 
ment, and  if  he  persevered  in  that  direction  which  he 
probably  would  do,  I  have  no  hesitation  in  stating  my 
conviction  he  would  never  be  able  to  extricate  his 
ships,  and  would  ultimately  be  obliged  to  abandon  them. 
It  is  therefore  in  latitude  73°  N.  and  longitude  105°  W. 
that  we  may  expect  to  find  them  involved  in  the  ice, 
or  shut  up  in  some  harbor.  This  is  almost  the  only 
point  in  which  it  is  likely  they  would  be  detained,  oi 
from  which  it  would  not  be  posiubleto  convey  informa- 
tion of  their  situation  to  thelludsou's  l^ay  Settlements. 

"  If,  then,  we  suppose  the  crews  of  the  ships  should 
be  compelled,  either  this  autumn  or  next  spring,  to 
abandon  their  vessels  at  or  near  this  point,  they  woulJ 


i 


226 


PROOKtoid   OF   ARCTIC   DISCOVERT. 


most  assuredly  endeavor,  in  their  boats,  to  reach  Lan 
caster  Sound ;  but  I  cannot  conceive  any  position  in 
which  they  could  be  placed  from  which  they  would 
make  for  the  Great  Fish  Kiver,  or  at  which  any  part^ 
descendmg  that  river  would  be  likely  to  overtake  tnem , 
and  even  if  it  did,  of  what  advantage  could  it  be  to 
them? 

"If  Dr.  King  and  his  party,  in  their  single  canoe, 
did  fall  in  with  Sir  John  Franklin  and  his  party  on  the 
west  coast  of  North  Somerset,  how  does  he  propose  to 
assist  them  ?  he  would  barely  have  sufficient  provision 
for  his  own  party,  and  would  more  probably  be  in  a 
condition  to  require  rather  than  afford  relief.  He  could 
only  tell  them  what  Sir  John  Franklin  already  knows, 
from  former  experience,  far  better  than  Dr.  King,  that  it 
would  be  impossible  for  so  large  a  party,  or  indeed  any 
party  not  previously  provided,  to  travel  across  the  bar- 
ren grounds  to  any  of  the  Hudson's  Bay  Settlements." 

"  All  that  has  been  done  by  the  way  of  search  since 
February,  1848,  tends,"  persists  Dr.'King,  "to  draw 
attention  closer  and  closer  to  the  western  land  of  North 
Somerset,  as  the  position  of  Sir  John  Franklin,  and  to 
the  Great  Fish  (or  Back)  River,  as  the  high  road  to 
reach  it." 

Dr.  King  has  twice  proposed  to  the  Admiralty  to 
proceed  on  the  search  by  this  route.  "  It  would,"  he 
states,  "  be  the  happiest  moment  of  my  life  (and  my 
delight  at  being  selected  from  a  long  list  of  volunteers, 
for  the  relief  of  Sir  John  Ross,  was  very  great)  if  their 
lordships  would  allow  me  to  go  by  my  old  route,  the 
Great  Fish  River,  to  attempt  to  save  human  life  a  sec- 
ond time  on  the  shores  of  the  Polar  Sea.  What  I  did 
in  search  of  Sir  John  Ross  is  the  best  earnest  of  what 
1  could  do  in  search  of  Sir  John  Franklin." 

A  meeting  of  those  officers  and  gentlemen  most  con 
rersant  with  arctic  voyages  was  convened  by  tho 
Lords  Commissioners  of  the  Admiralty  on  the  17th  of 
January,  1849,  at  which  the  followirtg  were  present :  — 
Rear- Admiral  Sir  Francis- Beaufort,  K.  0.  B.,  Captain 
Sir  W.  E.  Parry,  R.  N.,  Captain  Sir  George  Back,  R 


OPINIONS    AMI   8UOOK8TION8. 


237 


to 
he 
my 
crs, 
leir 
the 
sec- 
did 
vhat 


taic 


N".,  Captiiiu  Sir  E.  Belclier,  R.  N.,  Colonel  Sabine,  R. 
A.,  and  tho  Rev.  IJr.  Scoresby. 

A  very  pretty  painting,  containing  portraits  of  all  the 
orincipal  arctic  voyagers  in  consultation  on  those  Jtto< 
inentous  matters,  has  been  made  by  Mr.  Pearse,  artist, 
of  53,  iJerners  Street,  Oxford  Street,  which  is  well 
worthy  of  a  visit.  The  beautiful  Arctic  Panorama  of 
Mr.  ]>urford,  in  Leicester  Square,  will  also  give  a 
graphic  idea  of  the  scenery  and  appearance  of  the  icy 
regions;  the  whole  being  designed  from  authentic 
sketches  by  Lieut.  Browne,  now  of  the  Resolute,  and 
who  was  out  in  the  Enterprise  fh  her  trip  in  1848,  and 
also  with  Sir  James  Ross  in  his  antarctic  voyage. 

The  exj)edition  under  Sir  James  Ross  having  re- 
turned unsuccessful,  other  measures  of  relief  were  now 
determined  on,  and  the  opinions  of  the  leading  officers 
again  taken. 

Admiral  Sir  Francis  Beanfort,  in  his  report  to  the 
Lords  Commissioners  of  the  Admiralty,  on  November 
24th,  1849,  observes:  — 

"•  There  are  four  ways  only  in  which  it  is  likely  that 
the  Erebus  and  Terror  would  have  been  lost  —  by  fire, 
by  sunken  rocks,  by  storm,  or  by  being  crushed  be-4 
tween  two  fields  of  ice.  Both  vessels  would  scarcely 
have  taken  fire  together ;  if  one  of  them  had  struck  on  a 
rock  the  other  would  have  avoided  the  danger.  Storms 
in  those  narrow  seas,  encumbered  with  ice,  raise  no 
swell,  and  could  produce  no  such  disaster ;  and  there- 
fore, by  the  fourth  cause  a!  me  could  the  two  vessels 
have  been  at  once  destroyed ,  and  even  in  that  case 
the  crews  would  have  escaped  Uj.  ">n  the  ice  (as  happens 
every  year  to  the  whalers;)  they  would  have  saved 
their  loose  boats,  and  reached  some  part  of  the  American 
shores.  As  no  traces  of  any  such  event  have  been  found 
on  any  part  of  those  shores,  it  may  therefore  be  safely 
affirmed  that  one  ship  at.  least,  and  both  the  crews, 
are  still  in  existence ;  and  therefore  the  point  where 
they  now  are  is  the  great  matter  for  consiaeration. 

"Their  orders  would  have  carried  them  toward  Mel- 
ville Tftland,  and  then  out  to  the  westward,  where  it  if 


E<    I 


228 


P110GBE88   OF  AliCl'IO   DISCOVKOT 


thcreforo  probable  that  they  are  entangled  amona 
iHlands  una  ico.  For  should  they  have  been  arrcstea 
at  some  intermediate  place,  for  instance,  Cape  Walker 
or  at  one  of  the  northern  chain  of  islands,  they  would, 
undoubtedly,  in  the  course  of  the  three  following  yi-ars. 
have  contrived  some  method  of  sending  notices  of  tlieii 
position  to  the  shores  of  North  Somerset  or  to  Barrow's 
fetrait. 

"If  they  had  reached  much  to  the  southward  of 
Bank's  Land,  they  would  surely  have  communicated 
with  the  tribes  on  Mackenzie  River ;  and  if,  failing  to 
get  to  the  westward  or  southward,  they  had  returjied 
with  the  intention  of  penetrating  through  Wellington 
Channel,  they  would  have  detached  parties  on  the  ice 
toward  Barrow's  Strait,  in  order  to  have  deposited 
statements  of  their  intentions. 

"  The  general  conclusion,  therefore,  remains,  that  they 
are  still  locked  ni)  in  the  Archipelago  to  the  westward 
of  Melville  Islana.  Now,  it  is  well  known  that  the 
state  of  the  weather  alternates  between  the  opj)08ito 
sides  of  Northern  America,  being  mild  on  the  one  when 
rigorous  on  the  other;  and  accordingly,  during  the  two 
hist  years,  which  have  been  unusually  severe  in  Baftin's 
Bjiy,  the  United  States  whalers  were  successfully  trav- 
ersing the  Polar  Sea  to  the  northward  of  Behring's 
Straits.  The  same  severe  weather  may  possibly  prevail 
on  the  eastern  side  during  the  summer  of  1850,  and  if 
eu,  it  is  obvious  that  an  attempt  should  be  now  made 
by  the  western  opening,  and  not  merely  to  receive  the 
two  ships,  if  they  should  be  met  coming  out  (as  for- 
merly,) but  to  advance  in  the  direction  of  Melville 
Island,  resolutely  entering  the  ice,  and  employing  every 
pofiriible  expedient  by  sledging  parties,  by  reconnoitering 
balloons,  and  by  blasting  the  ice,  to  communicate  with, 
them. 

"These  vessels  should  be  intrepidly  commanded, 
effectively  manned,  and  supplied  with  the  best  meaus 
for  traveling  across  the  ice  to  the'  English  or  to  the 
Russian  settlements,  as  it  will  be  of  the  greatest  impor- 
tance to  be  informed  of  what  progress  the  expeditivO 


OPINIONS   ANU   SLuGE8Tlv>N8. 


22U 


i 


bas  made;  and  for 
will  be  of  material 


the  Pio^er 
advanctid 


this  purnoso  likewise 
service,  lying  at  some 
point  near  Icy  Capo,  and  ready  to  receive  intelligence, 
and  to  convey  it  tO  Petropaiilski  or  to  Panama. 

"These  vessels  should  enter  Behring's  Straite  before 
the  first  of  August,  and  therefore  every  effort  should 
be  now  made  to  dispatch  them  from  England  before 
Christmas.  They  miglit  water  at  the  Falkland  IslandsL 
and  again  at  the  Sandwich  Islands,  where  they  would 
be  ready  to  receive  additional  instructions  via  Panama 
by  one  of  the  Pacific  steamers,  and  by  which  vessoi 
they  might  be  pushed  on  some  little  aistance  to  th* 
uorthward. 

"  It  seems  to  me  likely  that  the  ships  have  been  push- 
ing  on,  summer  after  summer,  in  the  direction  of  feehr- 
ing's  Straits,  and  are  detained  somewhere  in  the  space 
Bouthwestward  of  Banks'  Land.  On  the  other  hand, 
should  they,  after  the  first  or  second  summer,  have  been 
unsuccessful  in  that  direction,  they  may  have  attempted 
to  proceed  to  the  northward,  either  through  Wellington 
Channel,  or  through  some  other  of  the  openings  among 
the  same  group  ot  islands.  I  do  not  myself  attach  any 
superior  importance  to  Wellington  Channel  as  regards 
the  northwest  passage,  but  I  inderstand  that  Sir  John 
Franklin  did,  and  uiat  he  strongly  expressed  to  Lord 
Haddington  his  intention  of  attempting  that  route,  if 
he  should  fail  in  effecting  the  more  direct  passage  to 
the  westward. 

"The  ships  having  been  fully  victualed  for  three 
years,  the  resources  may,  by  one  precautions,  have 
been  extended  to  four  years  for  the  whole  crews ;  but 
it  has  occurred  to  me,  since  I  had  the  honor  of  confer- 
ring with  their  lordships,  that,  if  their  numbers  have 
been  gradually  diminished  to  any  considerable  extent 
by  death,  (a  contingency 'which  is  but  too  probable,  con- 
sidering their  unparalleled  detention  in  the  ice,)  the 
resources  would  oe  proportionably  extended  for  the 
Burvivors,  whom  it  might,  therefore,  be  found  expedient 
to  transfer  to  one  of  the  ships,  with  all  the  remaining 
■tores,  and  with  that  one  ship  to  continue  the  endeavor 


I 


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liiffin' 

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Hi 

230 


PROORfilSS    OF    ARC  no    DISCOVEKT. 


to  push  westward,  or  to  return  to  the  eastward,  as  cit- 
cumstances  might  render  expedient ;  in  that  case,  the 
necessity  for  quitting  both  the  ships  in  the  past  sum- 
mer might  not  improbably  have  bebn  obviated. 

"  Under  these  circumstances,  which,  it  must  be  admit 
ted,  amount  to  no  more  than  mere -conjecture,  it  seema 
to  me  expedient  still  to  prosecute  the  search  in  both 
directions,  namely,  by  way  of  Behring's  Strait  (to  which 
I  look  with  the  strongest  hope,)  and  also  by  that  of 
Barrow's  Strait.  In  the  latter  direction,  it  ought,  I 
think,  to  be  borne  in  mind,  that  the  more  than  usual 
difficulties  mth  which  Sir  James  Ross  had  to  contend, 
have,  in  reality,  left  us  \7ith  very  little  more  informa- 
tion than  before  he  left  England,  and  I  cannot  contem- 
plate without  serious  apprehension,  leaving  that  opening 
without  still  fiirther  search  in  the  ensuing  spring,  in 
case  the  missing  ^rews  have  fallen  back  to  the  eastern 
coast  of  North  Somerset,  where  they  would  naturally 
look  for  supplies  to  be  deposited  for  them,  in  addition 
to  the  chance  of  finding  some  of  those  left  by  the  Fury. 
For  the  purpose  of  further  pursuing  the  search  by  way 
of  Barrow's  Strait,  perhaps  two  small  vessels  of  150  or 
200  tons  might  suffice,  but  they  must  be  square  rigged 
for  the  navigation  among  the  ice  Of  course  the  object 
of  such  vessels  would  be  nearly  that  which  Sir  James 
Ross's  endeavors  have  failed  to  accomplish ;  and  the 
provisions,  &c.,  left  by  that  officer  at  Whaler  Point, 
as  well  as  any  which  may  be  deposited  in  that  neigh- 
borhood by  the  North  Star,  would  greatly  add  to  tlie  re- 
sources, facilitate  the  operations,  and  lessen  the  risk  of 
any  attempt  made  in  that  direction. 

"  If,  however,  there  be  time  to  get  ships  to  Behring's 
Straits  by  the  first  week  in  August,  1850,  which  would 
perhaps  require  the  aid  of  steam  vessels  lo  accomplisli 
with  any  degree  of  certainty,  I  recommend  that  the 
Enterprise  and  Investigator  be  fortliwith  equipped  and 
dispatched  there,  with  instructions  to  push  through  the 
ice  to  the  E.  N.  E.  as  far  as  possible  in  the  ensuing  .sea- 
son, with  the  hope  of  meeting  with  at  least  one  of  tlie 
ships,  or  any  of  the  parties  which  may  h.'ive  been 


OPINIONS   AND    SUG0ESTI0N8. 


2^31 


Hi 

I 


dt't«c1ied  from  them.  This  attempt  has  never  yet  been 
m;ule  by  any  Rhips,  and  I  cling  very  strongly  to  the 
belief  that  such  an  effort  might  be  attended  with  sue- 
C0S8  in  rescuing  at  least  a  portion  of  our  people. 

"'  My  reason  for  urging  tnis  upon  their  Lordships  is, 
that  the  admirable  instructions  under  which  the  Plover 
assisted  by  the  Herald,  is  acti'ig,  embraces  only  the 
search  of  the  coast  line  eastward  from  Icy  Cape ;  since 
the  boats  and  baidars  cannot  effect  any  thing  except  by 
creeping  along  as  opportunities  offer,  between  the  ice 
and  the  land,  so  that  tliis  plan  of  operations  meets  only 
the  contingency  of  parties  reaching,  or  nearly  reaching, 
the  land  ;  whereas  the  chance  ot  rescue  would,  as  it 
appears  to  me,  be  immensely  increased  by  ships  push- 
ing on,  clear  of  the  coast,  toward  Banks'  Land  and 
Melville  Island,  as  far  at  least  as  might  be  practicalu 
in  the  best  five  or  six  weeks  of  the  season  of  1850." 

Captain  Parry  says — ''Although  this  is  the  first  at- 
tempt ever  made  to  enter  the  ice  in  this  direction,  with 
ships  properly  equipped  for  the  purpose,  there  is  no 
reason  to  anticipate  any  greater  dimculties  in  this  navi- 
gation than  those  encountered  in  other  parts  of  the 
North  Polar  Sea ;  and,  even  m  the  event  of  not  suc- 
ceeding in  reaching  Banks'  Land  in  the  summer  of  the 
present  year,  it  may  be  possible  to  make  such  pr  »^rf>ss 
as  to  afford  a  reasonable  hope  of  effecting  that  ooject 
in  the  following  season  (1861.)  Indeed  it  is  possible 
that,  from  the  well  known  fact  of  the  climate  being 
more  temperate  in  a  given  parallel  of  latitude,  in  going 
westward  from  the  Mackenzie  River,  some  comparative 
advantage  may  be  derived  in  the  navigation  of  this 
part  of  the  Polar  Sea. 

"  It  is  of  importance  to  the  security  of  the  ships  and 
of  their  crews  that  they  should  winter  in  some  narbor 
or  bay  not  at  a  distance  from  land,  where  the  ice  might 
be  in  motion  during  the  winter  ;  and  it  will  be  desira- 
ble, should  no  land  be  discovered  fit  for  this  purpose, 
m  the  space  at  present  unexplored  between  Point  Bar- 
row ana  Banks'  Land,  that  endeavors  should  be  made  to 
reach  the  continent  about  the  mouth  of  the  Mackenzie 


232 


PROQBESS   OF  ABOTIO  DISCOVERT. 


-t"    ;/■ 


i  w  \: 


tjr 


¥U 


River,  or  further  eastward,  toward  Liverpool  Baj 
where  there  is  reason  to  suppose  that  sufficient  shelter 
may  be  found,  and  in  which  neighborhood,  it  appears, 
there  is  r^enerally  no  ice  to  be  seen  from  the  shore  foi 
about  six  weeks  in  the  months  of  August  and  Septeni 
ber.  Sir  John  Franklin's  narrative  of  his  second  jour 
ney,  that  of  Messrs.  Dease  and  Simpson,  and  the 
Admiralty  Charts,  will  furnish  the  requisite  hydro 
graphical  information  relative  to  this  line  of  coast,  bq 
tar  as  it  has  been  attained. 

"  The  utmost  economv  should  be  exercised  in  the  use 
of  provisions  and  fuel  during  the  time  the  ships  are  in 
winter  quarters  ;  and  if  they  should  winter  on  or  near 
the  continent,  there  would  probably  be  an  opportunity 
of  increasing  their  stock  of  provisions  by  means  of 
game  or  fish,  and  likewise  of  fuel,  by  drift  or  other 
wood,  to  some  considerable  amount. 

"  If  the  progress  of  the  ships  in  1850  has  been  con- 
siderable— for  instance,  as  far  as  the  meridian  of  120^ 
"W". —  the  probability  is,  that  the  most  practicable  way 
of  returning  to  England  wi!l  be,  still  to  push  on  in  the 
same  direction  during  the  whole  season  of  18i^l,  with 
a  view  to  reach  Barrow's  Strait,  and  take  advantage, 
if  necessary,  of  the  resources  loft  by  Cai^tain  Sir  James 
Ross  at  Whaler  Point,  near  Leopold  Harbor ;  if  not  the 
same  season,  at  least  after  a  second  winter.  If,  on  the 
other  hand,  small  progress  should  have  been  made  to 
the  eastward  at  the  close  of  the  present  summer,  it 
might  be  prudent  that  when  half  the  navigable  season 
of  1851  shall  have  expired,  no  further  attempts  should 
be  made  in  proceeding  to  the  eastward,  and  that  the 
r^inaining  half  of  that  season  should  be  occupied  in 
returning  to  the  westward,  with  a  view  to  escape  from 
the  ice  by  way  of  Behring's  Straits  after  the  wmter  of 
1851-62,  so  as  not  to  incur  the  risk  of  passing  a  third 
winter  in  the  ice. 

"  During  the  summer  season,  the  most  vigilant  look- 
out should  be  kept  from  the  mast-heads  or  both  ships 
night  and  day,  not  only  for  the  missing  ships,  but  ror 
detacl.ed  parties  belonging  to  them  ;  and  during,' 


iny 


■:-4- 


OPINIONS  AND  SUGGESTIONS. 


233 


ol  Bay 

sheltei 
ippearsj 
iiore  foi 
Septera 
nd  jour 
md   the 

hydro 
3oast,  BQ 

i  the  use 
s  are  in 
or  near 
ortunity 
eans  of 
jr  other 

een  con- 

of  190' 

ble  way 

n  in  the 

n,  with 

antage, 

James 

not  the 

on  the 

nade  to 

imer,  it 

season 

should 

lat  the 

pied  in 

)e  from 

inter  of 

a  third 

it  look- 
h  ships 
but  K)r 
during 


tlie  few  houi*s  of  darkness  which  prevail  toward  the  close 
of  cacli  season's  navigation,  and  also  when  in  winter 
(piarters,  signals,  by  tires,  blue  lights,  rockets  or  guns, 
should  be  made^as  the  means  of  pointing  out  the  posi- 
tion of  the  ships  to  any  d<3tached  parties  belonging  to 
tlie  missing  expedition.  And  in  the  spring  before  the 
ships  can  DC  released  from  the  ice,  searching  parties 
might  be  sent  out  in  various  directions,  either  in  boats 
or  by  land,  to  examine  the  neighboring  coasts  and  inlets 
for  any  trace  of  the  missing  crews." 

Captain  Sir  George  Back  also  comments  (1st  of  De- 
cember, 1849,)  on  these  intentions,  in  a  letter  to  the  Sec- 
retary of  the  Admiralty  : — 

"  You  will  be  pleased.  Sir,  to  impress  upon  my  Lords 
Commissioners,  that  I  wholly  reject  all  and  every  idea 
of  any  attempts  on  the  part  oi  Sir  John  Franklin  to 
send  boats  or  detachments  over  the  ice  to  any  part  of 
the  main-land  eastward  of  the  Mackenzie  River,  because 
I  can  say  from  experience,  that  no  toil-worn  and  ex- 
hausted party  could  have  the  least  chance  of  existence 
by  going  there. 

"  On  the  other  hand,  from  my  knowledge  of  Sir  John 
Franklin,  (having  been  three  times  on  discovery  to- 
gether j)  I  much  doubt  if  he  would  quit  his  ship  at  all, 
except  in  a  boat ;  for  any  attempt  to  cross  the  ice  a  long 
distr  u.>-  on  foot  would  be  tempting  death ;  and  it  is  too 
lab«  '  ,6  a  task  to  sledge  far  over  such  an  uneven  sur- 
face -1  t}  vSQ  regions  generally  present.  That  great 
inortalii'  r^ust  have  occurred,  and  that  one  ship,  as  Sir 
E.  Beaufort  hints  at,  may  bo  loi;,are  greatly  to  be  teared  ; 
and,  as  on  all  former  expeditions,  if  the  survivors  are 
paralyzed  by  Uio  depressing  atitacks  of  scurvy,  it  would 
then  be  impossible  for  theiu  however  desirous  they 
might  be,  to  leave  the  ship,  vhich  must  thus  become 
their  last  most  anxious  aboae^ 

If,  however,  open  water  Urould  have  allowed  Sir 
Jc  ;»  F 'aiildin  to  have  resorteJ  to  his  boats,  then  I  am 
persuaded  ho  would  make  L/  eitlier  the  Mackenzie 
River,  or,  which  is  far  more  ikely,  from  the  almost 
certainty  he  must  have  felt  ol  finduig  provision,  Cttpa 
Clarcne^i  and  Fury  Point. 


1 


234 


l»ROGRKS8   OK    AUCTIO    DISCO VKRT. 


!  ; 


1:4' 


:    t 


"  I  am  aware  that  the  whole  cnanccs  of  lite  in  11  is 
j)aintul  case  depend  on  food ;  bnt  when  1  reflect  on 
Sir  John  Franklin's  former  extraordinary  preservation 
nnder  miseries  and  trials  of  the  most  scN'ere  descrij)tion, 
living  often  on  scraps  of  old  leather  and  other  retuse,  1 
cannot  des])air  of  his  lindintr  the  means  to  prolong  exist- 
ence till  aid  he  hai)pily  sent  him." 

Dr.  Sir  John  Richardson  on  the  same  day  also  6end3 
in  his  0])inion,  as  requested,  on  tlie  ])roposed  dispatch 
of  the  Enterprise  and  Investigator  to  Beliring's  Strait ; 

"It  seems  to  m  io  be  very  desirable  that  the  western 
shores  of  the  Arclh]  o  of  Parry's  Islands  should  bo 
searched  in  a  high  laut  de  in  the  manner  proposed  by 
the  h^'drographer. 

"  If  the  proposed  expedition  succeeds  in  establishing 
its  winter  quarters  among  these  islands,  parties  de- 
tached over  the  ice  may  travel  to  the  eastward  and 
southeastward,  so  as  to  cross  the  line  of  search  which  it 
is  iioped  Mr.  'Rixd  has  been  able  to  ])ursue  in  the  present 
Rununer,  and  thus  to  determine  whether  any  traces  o« 
the  missing  ships  exist  in  localities  the  most  remote 
from  Behring's  Strait  and  Lancaster  Sound,  and  from 
whence  shipwrecked  crews  would  And  the  greatest  ditti- 
cuUy  in  traveling  to  any  place  where  they  could  hopo 
to  find  relief. 

"The  climate  of  Arctic  America  improves  in  a  sensi- 
ble manner  with  an  increase  of  western  longitude.  On 
the  Mackenzie,  on  the  135th  meridian,  the  summer  is 
warmer  than  in  anv  district  of  the  continent  in  the  same 
parallel,  and  it  is  still  finer,  and  the  vegetation  more 
luxuriant  on  the  banks  of  the  Yucon,  on  the  15Cth  me- 
ridian. This  superiority  of  climate  leads  me  to  infer, 
that  ships  well  fortified  against  driflfc-ice,  will  find  the 
navigation  of  the  Arctic  Seas  more  practicable  in  its 
western  portion  than  it  has  been  found  to  the  eastward. 
This  inference  is  supported  by  my  own  personal  expe- 
rience, as  far  as  it  goes.  I  met  with  no  ice  in  the  month 
of  August,  on  my  late  voyage,  till  I  attained  the  123d 
meridian,  and  which  I  was  led,  from  that  circumstance, 
to  eu])])Ose  coincided  with  the  western  limits  of  Parry's 
ArchiiM'laorr 


OPINIONS  AND  SUGGESTIONS. 


236 


'Tlic  gitater  facility  of  navigating  from  tlio  west  Iiaa 
!/rt}n  jK)\vcrfully  advocated  by  others  on  former  occa- 
sions ;  and  the  chief,  j)erhaj)s  the  only  reason  wiiy  tli-? 
attempt  to  i)enetratc  tlie  Polar  Sea  from  that  quarter 
lias  not  been  resuified  since  the  time  of  Cook  is,  tha» 
llie  length  of  tlie  previous  voyage  to  Behring's  Strait 
would  considcraUy  diminish  the  store  of  provisions 
hut  tlie  facilities  of  obtaining  supplies  in  the  Pacillcaro 
now  so  augmented,  that  this  objection  has  no  longer  tho 
same  force." 

Ca])tain  F.  W.  Beechey,  writing  from  Cheltenham, 
on  the  1st  of  December,  1849,  says : — 

"  I  (putc  agree  with  Sir  Francis  Beaufort  in  what  ho 
has  stated  with  regard  to  any  casualties  which  Sir  J 
Fianklin's  ships  may  have  sustained,  and  entirely  agree 
with  him  and  Sir  Edward  Parry,  that  the  expedition  is 
prol)al)ly  hampered  among  the  ice  somewhere  to  tho 
southwestwanl  of  Melville  Island  ;  but  there  is  yet  a 
possibility  which  does  not  appear  to  have  been  contem- 
plated, which  is,  that  of  the  scurvy  having  spread  among 
the  crew,  and  incapacitated  a  large  proportion  of  them 
from  making  any  exertion  toward  their  release,  or  that 
the  whole,  in  a  debilitated  state,  may  yet  bo  clinging 
l»y  their  vessels,  existing  sparingly  upon  the  provision 
which  a  large  mortality  may  have  spnn  out,  in  the  hopo 
of  relief. 

"In  the  first  case,  that  of  the  ships  being  hampered 
and  the  crews  in  good  health,  I  think  it  certain  that,  a? 
the  resources  of  the  ships  would  be  ex]iended  in  May 
last,  Sir  John  Franklin  and  his  crew  liave  abandonee; 
the  shi]>8,  and  pushed  forward  for  the  nearest  point 
.  where  they  might  reasonal)ly  expect  assistance,  and 
which  they  could  reasonably  reach. 

"There  are  consequently  three  points  to  which  it 
would  bo  proper  to  direct  attention,  and  as  tho  case  is 
urgent,  every  possible  method  of  relief  should  be  ener- 

fjetically  ]nished  forward  at  as  early  a  period  as  possi- 
)le,  and  directed  to  those  points,  which,  I  need  scarcely 
Bay,  are  Barrow's  Strait,  Behring's  Strait,  and  the 
aorthcrn  coast  of  America. 


I' 


J'f  I 


236 


PE0GRES8   OP  ARCrriO  DISOOVEEY. 


"  Of  the  measures  wliicU  can  be  resorted  to  on  th* 
northern  coast  of  America,  the  officers  who  have  ha<J 
experience  there,  and  the  Hudson's  Bay  Company,  will 
be  able  to  judge ;  but  I  am  of  opinion  that  nothing 
should  be  neglected  in  that  quartfer ;  for  it  seems  to 
me  almost  certain  that  Sir  John  Franklin  and  his  crew, 
if  able  to  travel,  have  abandoned  their  ships  and  made 
lor  the  continent ;  and  if  they  have  not  succeeded  in 
gaining  the  Hudson's  Bay  outposts,  they  have  been 
overtaken  by  winter  biefore  they  could  accomplish  theii 
purpose. 

"Lastly  as  to  the  opinion  which  naturally  forces  itself 
upon  us,  as  to  the  utility  of  the  sending  relief  to  per 
sons  whose  means  of  subsistence  will  have  failed  tkera 
more  tlian  a  year  by  the  time  the  relief  could  reach 
them,  I  would  observe,  tliat  a  prudent  reduction  of  the 
allowance  may  have  been  timely  made,  to  meet  an 
emergency,  or  great  mortality  may  have  enabled  the 
survivors  to  subsist  up  to  the  time  required,  or  it  may 
1)0  that  tlie  crews  have  just  missed  reaching  the  points 
visited  by  our  parties  last  year  before  they  quitted  them, 
:ind  in  the  one  case  may  now  be  subsisting  on  the  sup- 
plies at  Leopold  Island,  or  be  housed  in  eastward  of  Point 
Barrow,  .sustained  by  depots  which  have  been  fallen  in 
with,  or  by  the  native  supplies  ;  so  that  under  all  the 
circumstances,  I  do  not  consider  their  condition  so 
utterly  hopeless  that  we  should  give  up  the  expectation 
of  yet  bein^  able  to  render  them  a  timely  assistance. 

"  The  endeavors  to  push  forward  might  be  continued 
until  the  30th  of  August,  at  latest,  at  which  time,  if  th< 
ships  be  not  near  some  land  where  they  can  conven 
iently  pass  a  winter,  they  must  direct  their  course  for 
the  main-land,  and  seek  a  secure  harbor  in  which  they 
could  remain.  And  on  no  account  should  they  risk  a 
winter  in  the  pack,  in  consequence  of  the  tides  and 
shallow  water  lying  oflf  the  coast. 

"Should  the  expedition  reach  Herschel  Island,  or 
any  otlier  place  of  refuge  on  the  coast  near  the  mouth 
of  the  Mackenzie  or  Colvillo  Eivers,  endeavors  should 
be  made  to  communicate  inJ)rmation  of  the  ships' posi 


OPINIONS   AND   BCGGESTI0N8. 


23! 


tion  and  summer's  proceedings  throngh  tho  Hudson's 
Bay  Company  or  Russian  settlements,  and  by  means 
of  interpreters  ;  and  no  opportunity  should  be  omitted 
of  gaining  from  the  natives  information  of  the  missing 
ressels,  as  well  as  of  any  boat  expeditions  that  may  have 
^one  forward,  as  well  as  of  the  party  under  Dr.  Rae. 

"  If  nothing  should  be  lieard  ot  Sir  John  Franklin  in 
1850,  parties  of  observation  should  be  sent  forward  in 
the  spring  to  intercept  the  route  the  ship  would  have 
pursued,  and  in  other  useful  directions  between  winter 
quarters  and  Melville  Island  ;  taking  especial  care  that 
tliey  return  to  the  ship  before  the  time  of  liberation 
of  the  ships  arrives,  which  greatly  depends  upon  their 
locality. 

"  Then,  on  the  breaking  up  of  the  ice,  should  any 
favorable  appearance  of  the  ice  present  itself,  the  expe- 
dition might  be  left  free  to  take  advantage  of  such  a 
prospect,  or  to  return  round  Point  Barrow  ;  making  it 
imperative,  however,  either  to  insure  their  return*,  so 
far  as  human  foresight  may  be  exercised,  or  the  cer- 
tainty of  their  reaching  Melville  Island  at  the  close  of 
that  season,  and  so  securing  their  return  to  Ehgland 
in  1852. 

"  If,  after  all,  any  unforeseen  event  should  detain  the 
ships  beyond  the  j^riod  contemplated  above,  every 
exertion  should  be  used,  by  means  of  boats  and  in- 
terpreters, to  communicate  with  the  Mackenzie  ;  and 
should  any  casualty  render  it  necessary  to  abandon  the 
vessels,  it  should  be  borne  in  mind  that  the  reserve-ship 
will  remain  at  her  quarters  until  the  autumn  of  1853, 
^nle88  she  hears  of  the  safety  of  the  ships  and  boats 
in  other  directions  ;  while  in  the  other  quarter.  Fort 
Macpherson,  at  the  entrance  of  the  Mackenzie,  may  be 
relied  upon  as  an  asylum. 

"The  Plover,  or  reserve-ship,  should  be  provided 
with  three  years'  provisions  for  her  own  crew,  and  for 
contingencies  besides.  She  should  be  placed  as  near 
as  possible  to  Point  Barrow,  and  provided  with  inter 
preters,  and  the  means  of  offering  rewards  for  infor- 
mation ;  and  she  should  'emain  at  her  quarters  so  ion^^ 


h      I: 


4" 


is. 


'A 


238 


PROGRESS   OF   ARCTIC   DISCOVERY. 


as  there  can  be  any  occasion  for  her  presence  in  the 
Arctic  Seas  ;  or,  if  she  does  not  hear  any  thing  of  the 
expedition  under  Captain  CoUinson,  as  long  as  hei 
provisions  will  last." 

Sir  John  Richardson  offers  the  following  advice  for 
this  expedition: — "If,"  he  says,  "it  should  winter 
near  the  mouth  of  the  Yucan  or  Colville,  that  river 
may  be  ascended  in  a  boat  in  the  month  of  June,  be- 
f(jre  the  sea  ice  begins  to  give  way.  The  river  varies 
in  width  from  a  mile  and  a  half  to  two  miles,  and 
flows  through  a  rich,  well- wooded  valley,  abounding  in 
moose  deer,  and  having  a  comparatively  mild  climate. 
A  Eussian  trading  post  has  been  built  on  it,  at  the  dis 
tance  of  three  or  four  days'  voyage  from  the  sea,  with 
the  current;  but  as  the  current  is  strong,  from  nine  to 
twelve  days  must  be  allowed  for  its  ascent,  with  the 
tracking  line.  It  would  be  unsafe  to  rely  u])on  receiv- 
ing a  supply  of  provisions  at  the  Russian  post,  as  it  is 
not  likely  that  any  stock  beyond  what  is  necessniy  for 
their  own  use  is  laid  up  by  the  traders;  and  the  moose 
deer  being  a  very  shy  animal,  is  not  easily  shot  by  an 
unpracficed  hunter;  but  the  reindeer  abound  on  the 
neighboring  hills,  and  are  much  more  approacliabie. 
Tiie  white-fi'onted  goose  also  breeds  in  vast  fl(»ck8  in 
Miat  district  of  the  country,  and  may  be  killed  in  num- 
bers, without  difficulty,  in  the  month  of  June. 

"If  the  expedition  should  winter  within  a  reason- 
able distance  of  the  Mackenzie,  Captain  ColHnson 
may  have  it  in  his  power  to  send  dispatches  to  England 
by  that  route. 

"The  river  opens  in  June,  and  as  soon  as  the  ice 
ceases  to  drive,  may  be  ascended  in  a  boat,  witii  a  fair 
wind,  under  sail,  or  with  a  tracking  line. 

"The  lowest  post  at  present  occupied  by  the  11  ud- 
Bon's  Bay  Company  on  this  river  is  Fort  Good  Hope, 
The  site  of  this  post  has  been  changed  several  times, 
but  it  is  at  this  time  on  the  right  bank  of  the  river,  in 
latitude  Q6°  16'  N.,  and  is  ten  or  eleven  days*  voyage 
from  the  sea  At  Point  Separation,  opposite  to  the 
middle  chauuel  of  the  delta  of  the  river,  and  on  the 


I 


OPINIONS   AND   8UOOE8TION8. 


289 


ice 

fair 


yucmontory  which  separates  the  Peel  and  the  Mac- 
kenzie, there  is  a  case  of  pemmican  (80  Ibs.J  buried,  ten 
feet  distant  from  a  tree,  which  has  its  middle  branches 
h)pped  otf,  and  is  marked  on  the  trunk  with  a  broad 
arrow  in  black  paint.  A  fire  was  made  over  the  pit 
in  which  the  case  is  concealed,  and  the  remains  of  tne 
charcoal  will  point  out  the  exact  spot.  This  hoard 
was  visited  last  year  by  a  party  from  Fort  Macpher- 
eon,  Peel's  River,  when  all  was  safe. 

"Eight  bags  of  pemmican,  weighing  90  lbs.  each, 
were  deposited  at  Foi't  Good  Hope  in  1848,  and  would 
remain  there  last  summer  for  the  use  of  any  boat 
parties  that  might  ascend  the  river  in  1849 ;  but  it  is 
probable  that  part,  or  the  whole,  may  have  been  used 
oy  the  Company  by  next  year. 

"A  boat  party  should  be  furnished  with  a  small 
seine  and  a  short  herring  net,  by  the  use  of  which  a 
good  supply  of  fish  may  often  be  procured  in  the 
eddies  or  sandy  bays  of  the  Mackenzie.  They  should 
also  be  provided  with  a  good  supply  of  buck-shot,  swan- 
shot,  duck-shot,  and  gunpowder.  The  Loucheux  and 
Hare  Indians  will  readily  give  such  provisions  as  they 
may  happen  to  have,  in  exchange  for  ammunition. 
They  will  expect  to  receive  tobacco  gratuitously,  as 
they  are  accustomed  to  do  from  the  traders. 

"The  Mackenzie  is  the  only  water-way  by  which 
any  of  the  Hudson's  Bay  Company's  posts  can  be 
reached  from  the  Arctic  Sea.    There  is  a  post  on  the 
Peel  River  \7hich  enters  the  delta  of  the  Mackenzie, 
out  no  suppl :es  can  be  procured  there.    To  the  east- 
ward of  the  Mackenzie  no  ship-party  would  have  a 
chance  of  reaching  a  trading  post,  the  nearest  to  the 
sea  being  Fort  Resolution,  on  Great  Slave  Lake,  situ- 
ated on  the  Cist  parallel  of  latitude,  and  the  interven- 
ing hilly  country,  intersected  by  numerous  lakes  and 
rapid  rivers,  could  not  be  crossed  by  such  a  party  ii 
less  than  an  entire  summer,  even  could  they  depent 
on  their  guns  for  a  8upp:y  of  food.     Neither  would 
be  advisable  for  a  party  from  the  ships  to  attempt  to 
reach  the  posts  ou  the  Macke  izie  by  way  of  the  Cop- 


210 


riluGUKJS   OF   AltOriO   l)lS0OVffiRT# 


;i  \ 


i; 


permino  Rivor  and  Fort  Confidence;  ae,  in  the  ab- 
sence of  means  of  transport  acn)8fl  Great  Boar  Lake, 
Ihe  journey  round  that  irregular  nhoet  of  water,  would 
be  long  and  hazardous.  Bear  Lake  River  is  more 
than  fifty  miles  lon^,  and  Fort  Norman,  the  nearest 
post  on  the  Mackenzie,  is  thirty  miles  above  its  mouth. 
Mr.  Rae  was  instructed  to  engage  an  Indian  family  or 
two  to  hunt  on  the  tract  of  country  between  the  Cop- 
permine and  Great  Bear  Lake  in  the  summer  of  1850 ; 
but  no  great  reliance  can  be  placed  on  these  Indians 
remaiiing  long  there,  as  they  desert  their  hunting 
quarters  on  very  slight  alarms,  being  in  continuii) 
dread  of  enemies,  real  or  imaginary. 

"  A  case  of  penmilcan  was  buried  on  the  summit  ot 
the  bank,  about  four  or  five  miles  from  the  summit  of 
Cape  Batliurst,  the  spot  being  marked  by  a  pole  planted 
in  the  earth,  and  the  exact  locality  of  the  deposit  by  a  fir-u 
of  drift-wood,  much  of  which  would  remain  unconsumed. 

"  Another  case  was  deposited  in  the  cleft  of  a  rock, 
on  a  small  battlemented  clifl^",  which  forms  the  extreme 
])art  of  Cap  Parry.  Tlie  case  was  covered  with  loose 
etones ;  and  a  pile  of  stones  painted  red  and  white, 
was  erected  immediately  in  front  of  it.  This  clifl:'  re- 
sembles a  cocked-hat  in  some  points  of  view,  and  pro- 
jects like  a  tongue  from  the  base  of  a  rounded  nil', 
which  is  600  or  600  feet  hi^h. 

"  Several  cases  of  pemmican  were  left  exposed  on  a 
ledge  of  rocks  in  latitude  68°  35'  N.,  opposite  Lambert 
Island,  in  Dolphin  and  Union  Strait,  and  in  a  bay  to 
the  westward  of  Cape  Krusenstern,  a  small  boat  and 
ten  pieces  of  pemmican  were  deposited  under  a  high 
clifi',  above  high  water  mark,  without  concealment. 
The  Esquimaux  on  this  part  of  the  coast  are  not  nu- 
merous, and  from  the  position  of  this  hoard,  it  may 
escape  discovery  by  them  ;  but  I  have  every  reason  to 
believe  that  the  locality  has  been  visited  by  Mr.  Kae  in 
the  past  summer.  A  deposit  of  larger  size,  near  Cape 
Kendall,  has  been  more  certainly  visited  by  Mr.  Rae." 

Captain  Sir  J.  0,  Roes  writes  from  Hasfar,  1 1th  of 
February,  1860. 


n 


1 


)ro- 


of 


Ol'IMONB    AND   BUUUIOS-riUMl. 


241 


"  With  rospcct  to  the  probable  position  of  the  Ereboi 
and  Terror,  I  consider  that  it  is  hardly  possible  thev 
can  be  anywhere  to  tlie  eastward  of  Melville  Island, 
or  within  300  miles  of  Leopold  Island,  for  if  that  wore 
ti.ie  case,  they  would  assuredly,  during  the  last  spring, 
have  made  their  way  to  that  point,  with  the  hope  of 
receiving  assistance  from  the  whale-slips  whi'jb,  foi 
several  years  previous  to  the  departure  of  that  expedi- 
tign  from  England,  had  been  in  the  habit  of  visiting 
Prince  Regent  Inlet  in  pursuit  of  whales  ;  and  in  that 
case  they  must  have  been  met  with,  or  marks  of  their 
encampments  have  been  found  by  some  of  the  numer- 
ouK  ])artie8  detached  from  the  Enterprise  and  Investi- 
gator along  the  shores  of  that  vicinity  during  the  only 
ijcriod  of  Uie  season  in  which  traveling  is  practicable 
in  thoKe  regions. 

"  It  is  probable,  therefore,  that  during  their  first 
isnnnner,  which  was  remarkably  favorable  tor  the  navi- 
gation of  those  seas,  tliey  have  been  enabled  (in  obedi- 
ence to  their  orders)  to  push  the  ships  to  the  westward 
of  Banks'  land,  and  have  there  become  involved  in  the 
heavy  pack  of  ice  which  was  observed  from  Melville 
Island  always  to  be  setting  past  its  westernmost  point 
in  a  southeast  direction,  and  from  wliich  pack  they  may 
not  have  been  able  to  extricate  their  ships. 

"  From  such  a  position,  retreat  to  the  eastward  would 
be  next  to  impossible,  while  the  jouniey  to  the  Mac- 
kenzie River,  of  comparatively  easy  accomplishment, 
together  with  Sir  John  Franklin's  knowleclge  of  the 
resources  in  the  way  and  of  its  practicability,  would 
strengthen  the  belief  that  this  measure  will  have  be^n 
adopted  by  them  during  the  last  spring. 

"If  this  be  assumed  as  the  present  position  of  the 
Erebus  and  Terror,  it  would  manifestly  be  far  more 
easy  and  safe  to  afford  them  relief  by  means  of  an  ex- 
pedition  entering  Behring's  Straits,  than  from  any  other 
direction,  as  it  would  not  be  necessary  for  the  snipe  to 
de]jart  so  far  from  the  coast  of  North  America  as  to 
preclude  their  keeping  up  a  regular  communication 
with  the  Russian  settlements  on  the  River  Colville,  or 

iti 


242 


I'KOOliliSS   OP  AJ{(ri'lU    DIBCOVKUV. 


'U,f 


,  :i 


tlioflc  of  tho  irudsoirs  r>uy  Comnany  ncnr  tlie  iiunitli 
of  tlie  Mackenzie,  while  tiio  wliole  Hj)aco  between  any 

})o8ition  in  wliieli  tho  b1u[j9  might  wiiiter,  and  IJiink.s 
"iand  could  be  thoroujjhly  examined  by  travelin<:j  ])ar- 
ties  early  in  tho  spring,  or  by  boats  or  steam  hiunchcH 
at  a  more  advanced  period  of  the  following  season." 

Mr.  W.  Snow,  in  a  letter  from  New  York',  dated  Ttli 
of  January,  1850,  suggests  a  ])lan  for  a  well  organized 
expedition  of  as  many  men  as  could  be  iitte<l  Dut  \'\\>m 
private  funds.  "  For  instance,  let  a  jiarty  of  100  picked 
men,  well  disciplined  and  olHcercd,  as  on  board  a  sliip, 
and  accompanied  with  all  the  necessary  food,  seientihc 
instruments,  and  every  thing  useful  on  such  oxjieditiona. 
jM'ocecd  immediately,  by  tlie  shortest  and  most  avail- 
able routeo,  to  the  lauds  in  the  neighborliood  of  tlie  un 
cxj>lored  regions.  If  possible,  I  would  suggest  thai 
they  should  proceed  first  to  Moose  Fort,  on  the  south 
ern  pait  of  Hudson's  Bay,  and  thence  by  small  craft 
to  Chesterfield  Inlet,  or  otlierwise  by  land  reach  that 
quarter,  so  as  to  arrive  there  at  the  opening  of  summer. 
From  this  neighborhood  let  the  party,  minus  ton  men, 
be  divided  into  three  separate  detachinents,  each  with 
specific  instructions  to  extend  their  researches  in  a 
northerly  and  northwesterly  direction,  Tlie  western- 
most party  to  proceed  as  near  as  possible  in  a  direct 
course  to  the  easternmost  limits  of  discovery  yet  made 
from  Behring's  Straits,  and  on  no  account  to  deviate 
from  that  course  on  the  western  side  of  it,  b'jf,  if  ne- 
cessary, to  the  eastward.  Let  the  central  party  shape  a 
course  as  near  as  possible  to  the  position  of  rhe  Mag- 
netic Pole ;  and  tJhe  easternmost  di\nsion  direct  to 
Prince  Hegent  Inlet,  or  the  westernmost  pH)/nt  of  dis- 
covery from  the  east,  and  not  to  deviate  froiM  that  course 
easterly.  Let  each  of  these  detachments  be  formed 
again  into  tliree  divisions,  each  division  thus  consisting 
of  ten  men.  Let  the  first  division  of  each  detachmeni 
pioneer  the  way,  followed  on  the  same  track  by  tht 
second  and  the  third,  at  stated  intervals  of  time.  0> 
the  route,  let  the  pioneers,  at  every  spot  necessary,  leave 
distinguishing  marks  to  denote  the  way,  and  also  to 


OPINIONS    AND   SUOOKfiTlONS. 


248 


nitl» 

iiiiy 

])ar- 

cllOH 

i  7tii 

li/A'd 
icked 

ntitic 

tiona. 

avail- 

»e  im 

:  tluil 

south     ^ 

.  craft 

li  that 

mmcr. 

1  men, 

1  with 
in  a 

.^eiiteni- 
direct 
ma<le 
eviate 
if  ne- 
ape  a 
Mag;- 
ect  to 
lof  dis- 
course 
brmed 
si  sting 
hmenl 
by  thfe 

,  leave 
Iso  to 


ffive  information  to  I'itluM-  of  tho  other  two  princijui. 
(Ictachtnentu  us  may  hy  chauoe  fall  into  their  track 
To  second  the  efforts  of  the  tliree  detachnicnta,  let  con 
titant  succors  and  other  assistance  be  forwarded  hy 
way  of  Moose  Fort,  and  thronch  tho  ten  men  loft  at 
Cliesterfield  Inlet ;  and  shoulu  the  object  for  which 
siicli  an  exi)edition  was  framed  be  hajjj)ily  acconi 
plished  bv  the  return  of  the  lost  voyagers,  let  niest  en- 
ters be  torwardcd  with  the  news,  as  was  done  witii 
Captain  Back,  in  the  case  of  Captain  Ross.  Let  each 
of  the  extreme  detaciiments,  upon  arriving  at  their  re- 
spective destination-^,  uiid  uj)on  being  joined  by  the 
whole  of  their  body,  proceed  to  form  ])hins  for  uniting 
with  the  central  ]>arty,  and  ascertaining  the  results 
already  obtained  by  each  l)y  sending  parties  in  that 
direction.  Also,  let  a  chosen  nunil)or  be  e^-nt  out  from 
each  detachment  as  ex])loring  parties,  whei  ever  deemed 
requisite ;  and  let  no  eifort  be  wanted  to  make  a  eoarch 
in  every  direction  where  there  is  a  possibility  of  its 
proving  successful. 

"  If  a  puT)Hc  and  more  extensive  expedition  bo  set  on 
foot,  I  would  most  respectfully  draw  attention  to  the 
following  suggestions: — Let  a  land  expedition  be  formed 
upon  a  simihirplan,  and  with  the  same  number  of  men, 
say  300  or  more,  as  those  fitted  out  for  sea.  Let  this 
expedition  be  formed  into  three  great  divisions ;  the  one 
proceeding  by  the  Athabasca  to  the  Great  Slave  Lake, 
and  following  out  Captain  Back's  discoveries ;  the 
second,  through  tho  Churchill  district ;  or,  with  the 
third,  according  to  the  plan  laid  out  for  a  private  expe 
dition  alone  ;  only  keeping  the  whole  of  their  forces  as 
nmch  as  possible  oearing  upon  the  points  where  success 
may  he  most  likely  attainable. 

"  Each  of  these  three  great  divisions  to  be  subdivided 
and  arranged  also  as  in  the  former  case.  The  expense 
of  an  expedition  of  this  kind,  with  all  the  necessary 
outlay  for  provisions,  &c.,  I  do  not  think  would  be  more 
than  half  what  the  same  would  cost  if  sent  by  sea  ;  but 
of  this  I  am  not  a  competent  judge,  having  no  definite 
means  to  make  a  comparison.    But  there  is  yet  anothor, 


*1 
'A 


n  I 
I'    > 


■    I 


^i^^ 


If  i  ■ 


2^ 


PUOQRIMS   OF   AUCrnO   Dl^OOVKn.. 


aiul,  1  cannot  help  conceiving,  a  more  oasy  way  of  o!> 
viiiting  ull  iliniculty  on  tliis  point,  and  of  roducing  the 
o*:ponso  considonijly. 

"  It  inii8t  1)0  evident  that  the  present  position  of  the 
arctic  voyagers  is  not  very  accessible,  either  by  land 
or  f  ca,  S\bo  tlie  distinguished  leader  at  the  head  of  tho 
expedition  would  long  ere  this  have  tracked  a  route 
whereby  the  whole  party,  or  at  least  some  of  them 
could  return. 

"In  such  a  case,  therefore,  tho  only  waj  to  reach 
thorn  is  by,  if  I  may  use  the  expression, //>/r/w-c/  an  ex- 
pedition on  toward  them ;  1  mean,  by  keeping  it  con- 
stantly upheld  and  pushing  onward.  There  may  be, 
and  indeed  there  are,  very  great  ditHcultie^  and  dilH- 
cultios  of  such  a  nature  tliat,  I  believe,  they  would 
theniselves  cause  another  great  difficulty  in  the  procur- 
ing of  men.  But,  if  I  tnight  make  another  bold  sug- 
gestion, I  would  respectfully  ask  our  government  at 
home,  why  not  employ  picked  men  from  convicted 
criminals,  as  is  done  in  exploring  expeditions  in  Aus- 
tralia 1  Inducements  might  be  held  out  to  them  ;  and 
by  proper  cave  they  would  bo  made  most  serviceable 
auxdiaries.  Generally  speaking,  men  convicted  of 
offt^  sea  a!e  men  possessed  of  almost  inexhaustible 
mental  resources ;  and  such  men  are  tho  men  who, 
witli  ]>hvsical  powei*s  of  endurance,  are  precisely  those 
retjuired.  But  this  I  speak  of,  merely,  if  sufficient  free 
men  could  not  be  found,  and  if  economy  is  studied." 

Mr.  John  ^fcLuan,  who  has  been  twenty-five  years  a 
partner  and  officer  of  the  Hudson's  Bi  y  Company,  and 
has  published  an  interesting  narrative  of  his  adven- 
turer and  experience,  writing  to  Ln/iy  Franklin  from 
Canada  West,  in  January,  1850,  suggests  the  following 
very  excellent  plan  as  likely  to  proauce  some  intelli- 
gence, if  not  to  lead  to  a  discovery  of  the  party. 

"  Let  a  small  schooner  of  some  thirty  or  forty  tons 
bnrden,  built  with  a  view  to  draw  as  little  water  as 
possible,  and  as  strong  as  wood  and  iron  could  make 
her,  be  dispatched  from  England  in  company  with  the 
Hudson's  Bay  ships.     This  vessel  would,  immediately 


OPINIONS   AND   HU0Gi£6TI0Nl^ 


24ft 


Oh  arriving  at  York  Factory,  proceed  to  the  Strait 
termed  Sir  Thomas  Roe's  Welcome,  which  divi^Sa 
Boutiiampton  iHhind  from  the  main-land  ;  then  dii«  ( ^ 
her  courHe  to  Wager  River,  and  oroceed  onward  until 
interrupted  by  inBurmountable  obstacles.  The  party 
being  safely  landed,  I  would  recommend  their  remain- 
ing stationarv  until  winter  travel ingbccaino  ()ractical)le, 
when  they  should  sot  out  for  the  shores  ot  the  Arctic 
Sea,  which,  by  a  reference  to  Arrowsmitli's  map,  aj> 
pears  to  be  only  some  sixty  or  seventy  rnilcs  distant  ; 
then  dividing  in  two  parties  or  diviHions,  the  oim  would 
proceed  east,  the  other  west ;  and  I  think  means  could 
ue  devised  of  exploring  250  or  300  miles  in  either 
direction ;  and  here  a  very  important  question  pre- 
sents itself, —  how  and  by  what  means  is  this  enterprise 
to  be  accomplished  ? 

"In  the  first  place,  the  services  of  Esquimaux  would 
be  indispensable,  for  the  twofold  reason,  that  no  reliable 
information  can  be  obtained  from  the  natives  without 
their  ai(i,  and  that  thev  alone  properly  anderstand  the 
art  of  preparing  snow-houses,  or  *  igloes,'  for  winter  en- 
campmejjj;,  the  only  lodging  which  the  desolate  wastes 
of  the  arctic  regions  afford.  Escmimaux  understanding 
the  English  language  sufficiently  well  to  answer  our 
purpose,  frequent  the  Hudson's  Ba^  Company's  post 
m  Labrador,  some  of  whom  might  be  induced,  (1  should 
fain  hope,)  to  engage  for  the  expedition  ,  or  probably 
the  '  halt-breed  '  natives  might  ao  so  more  readily  than 
the  aborigines.  They  should,  if  possible,  be  strong, 
active  men,  and  good  marksmen,  and  notle^<  than  four 
in  number.  Failing  in  the  attempt  to  procure  the  na- 
tives of  Labrador,  then  1  should  think  PJsquimaux 
might  be  obtained  at  Churchill,  in  Hudson's  Bay  ;  the 
two  who  accompanied  Sir  John  in  his  first  land  expedi- 
tion were  from  this  quarter." 

An  expedition  of  this  kind  is  to  be  sent  out  by  Lady 
Franklin  this  spring  nnder  the  charge  of  Mr.  Kennedy. 
There  are  various  ways  of  accomplishing  this  object, 
the  choice  of  which  must  mainly  depend  on  the  viewi 
and  wishes  of  tho  officer  who  may  undertake  *he  com 


II 


lit 


I 


246 


PK0GK1C8S  OF  AUCllO   DISCOVERY. 


I   I 


mand.  Besides  the  northern  route,  or  that  hy  liv.<r(in\ 
Inlet,  it  is  possible  to  reach  Sir  James  Kuss  and  Simp- 
son's Straits  from  the  south,  entering  Iludsun's  13a^', 
and  passing  up  the  Welcome  to  Kiie  Isthmus,  or  agam 
by  entering  Chesterfield  or  Wager  Iidot,  and  gaining 
the  coast  by  Back's  or  the  Great  Fish  River. 

By  cither  of  these  routes  a  great  part  of  the  exi)lora- 
tion  nmst  be  nuide  in  boats  or  on  foot.  In  awry  case 
the  main  })oint8  to  bo  searched  are  James  Koss's  Sti-ait 
and  Simj)8on'ft  Strait,  if  indeed  there  be  a  ])as8age  in 
that  direction,  as  laid  down  in  Sir  John  F/ankiin\s  charts, 
thougli  contradicted  by  Mr.  liae,  and  considered  still 
doubLful  by  some  arctic  navigators. 

The  following  S^tract  from  the  Geographical  Juai-- 
nal  shows  the  opinion  of  Franklin  upon  the  search  of 
this  quarter.  Dr.  Richardson  says,* — "No  better  i)la!i 
can  be  proposed  than  the  one  suggested  by  Sir  John 
Franklin,  of  sending  a  vessel  to  Wager  Iliver,  and  car- 
rying on  the  survey  from  thence  in  boats." 

Sir  John  Franklin  observes,! — '*The  Doctor  alludes 
in  his  letter  to  some  propositions  which  he  knew  I  had 
made  in  the  year  1828,  at  the  command  of  h^sj-)rescnt 
Majesty, ^^William  IV.,)  on  the  same  subject,  and  partic- 
ulariy  to  tl'^i  suggestion  as  to  ]>roceedin<];  from  Repulae 
or  Wager  Bay.  -^  *  ■'^  A  recent  careful  reading  <»f  all 
the  narratives  connected  with  the  surveys  of  the  Wager 
and  Repulse  Bays,  and  of  Sir  Edward  rai'ry's  Voyage, 
together  wi^^  the  information  obtained  from  theEs({ui- 
nuiux  by  Sir  Edward  Parry,  Sir  Jolm  Ross,  and  Cap- 
tain Back,  confirm  me  in  opinion  that  a  successful  de- 
lineation of  the  coast  east  of  Point  Turnagain  to  the 
Strait  of  the  Fury  and  Ilecla,  would  be  best  attained 
by  an  ex})edition  proceeding  from  Wager  Bay,  the 
northern  j^arts  of  which  cannot,  I  think,  be  farther  dis- 
tant than  forty  miles  from  the  sea,  if  the  information 
received  by  the  above-mentioned  officers  can  be  de- 
pended on." 

Dr.  McCormick  particularly  draws  attention  to  Jones 
and  Smith's  Sounds,  recommending  a  careful  examiD 

•  Journal  of  Geographical  Society,  voL  vi.  p.  40.         t  Ibid.  p.  43. 


■!««• 


OpIinOKS    ANT)  8UC,«iI<>  riON». 


247 


Id 


ht'wn  of  these  to  their   probablo  termination   in   tho 
IV)l:ir  Sea : — 

"  Jones'  Sound,  witli  tho  Wellington  Channel  on  tiio 
west,  may  bo  tbund  to  form  an  inland  of  the  land  called 
'  Noi'th  Devon.'  All  prominent  positions  on  both  sideH 
of  these  Sounds  should  bo  searched  for  flag  staves  and 
piles  of  stones,  under  whcih  copper  cylintlers  or  bot- 
tles may  have  been  deposited,  containing  accounts  of 
the  proceedings  of  the  missing  expedition  ;  and  if  suc- 
cessful in  getting  upon  its  track,  a  clue  would  be  ob- 
tained to  the  fate  ot  our  gallant  countrymen." 

Tho  Wellington  Channel  he  considers  affords  one  of 
tho  best  chances  of  crossing  the  track  of  the  missing 
expedition. 

To  carry  out  this  plan  efHciently,  he  recommended 
that  a  boat  should  be  dropped,  by  the  ship  conveying 
the  searching  ])arty  out,  at  tho  entrance  to  the  Welling- 
ton Channel  in  Barrow's  Strait ;  from  this  point  one  or 
l)oth  sides  of  that  channel  and  the  northern  shores  of 
the  Parry  Islands  might  be  explored  as  far  we^t  as  tho 
season  would  pennit  of.  But  should  the  ship  be  en 
abled  to  look  into  J(mes'  Sound,  on  Iier  -"fiy  to  Lancas- 
ter Sound,  and  find  that  opcT^ing  jrec  from  iee,  an 
attempt  mig]»t  be  made  by  the  Boat  Expedition  to  jiush 
through  it  into  the  Wellington  Channel.  In  tlu  sent, 
however,  of  its  ])roving  to  be  merely  an  inlet,  wide!  a 
short  delay  would  be  sufKcient  to  decide,  the  ship  miglit 
perhaps  be  in  readiness  to  pick  up  the  boat  on  its  re- 
turn, for  conveyance  to  its  ultimate  destination  through 
Lancaster  Sound  ;  or  as  a  precaution  against  any  un- 
foreseen separation  from  the  ship,  a  dej)ot  of  provisioni^ 
should  be  left  at  the  entrance  to  Jones'  Sound  for  tlu^ 
boat  to  complete  its  supplies  from,  after  accomplishing 
the  exploration  of  this  inlet,  and  to  afford  the  means, 
if  compelled  from  an  advanced  period  of  the  season 
or  other  adverse  circumstances,  of  reaching  some  })hic9 
of  refuge,  either  on  board  a  whaler  or  some  one  of  tlie 
depots  of  provisions  on  the  southern  shores  of  Barjow's 
Strait. 


f  '.-I 


n 

« 


ii 


4/**" 


'    ^ 


u> 


p 


Si. 


U9 


PROGRESS  OF  ARCTIC  DISCOVERY. 


Mr*  Penny,  in  charge  of  the  Lady  Franklin,  befon 
ailing,  observed  : — 

"  If  an  early  passage  be  obtained,  I  woiild  examine 
Tones'  Sound,  as  I  have  generally  found  in  all  my  early 
/ojages  cleur  water  at  the  month  of  that  sound,  and 
'liere  is  a  probability  thai  an  earlier  passage  by  this 
route  might  be  found  into  Wellington  otrait,  which  out- 
let ouglit  by  all  means-  to  be  thoroughly  examined  at 
the  earliest,  opportunity,  since,  if  Sir  J.  Franklin  had 
taken  that  route,  with  the  hope  of  finding  a  passage 
westward,  to  the  north  of  the  Parry  and  Melville 
Islands,  he  may  be  beyond  the  power  of  helping  him- 
self. No  trace  of  the  expedition,  or  practical  commu- 
nication with  Wellington  Strait,  being  obtained  in  this 
quarter,  I  w^ould  proceed  in  time  to  take  advantage  of 
the  first  opening  of  the  ice  in  Lancaster  Sound,  with 
tlie  view  of  proceeding  to  the  west  and  (entering  Wel- 
lington Strait,  or,  if  this  should  not  be  practicable,  of 
proceeding  farther  westward  to  Cape  Walker,  and  be- 
vond,  on  one  or  other  of  which  places  Sir  John  Frank- 
lin will  probably  have  left  some  notices  of  his  course." 

The  government  has  seen  the  urgent  necessity  of 
causing  the  Wellington  Channel  to  be  carefully  exam- 
ined ;  imperative  orders  were  sent  to  Sir  James  Ross 
to  search  it,  but  he  was  drifted  out  of  Barrow's  Strait 
against  his  will,  before  he  received  those  orders  by  the 
North  Star. 

I  have  already  stated  that  Sir  John  Franklin's  in- 
structions directed  him  to  try  the  first  favorable  open- 
ing  to  the  southwest  after  passing  Cape  Walker;  and 
failing  in  that,  to  try  the  Wellington  Channel.  Every 
officer  in  the  British  Service,  as  a  matter  of  course, 
follows  his  instructions,  as  far  as  they  are  compatible 
with  the  exigencies  of  the  case,  be  it  what  it  may,  noi 
ever  deviates  from  them  without  good  and  justifiable 
cause.  If,  then.  Sir  John  Franklin  failed  in  finding  an 
opening  to  the  southwest  of  Cape  Walker  it  is  reason- 
able to  suppose  he  obeyed  his  instructions,  and  tried 
the  Wellington  Channel.  The  second  probability  in 
favor  of  this  locality  is,  that  Sir  John  Franklin  ex- 


OPINIONS  AND   8CGGE8110K8. 


241 


the 


pressed  o  many  of  his  friends  a  favorable  opiDion  of 
the  Wellington  Channel,  and,  which  is  of  far  raor« 
consequence,  intimated  his  opinion  officially,  and  be- 
fore the  expedition  was  determined  upon,  that  thifc 
strait  seemed  to  offer  tlie  best  chance  of  success. 

Moreover,  Capt.  Fitzjames,  his  immediate  second  Id 
command  in  the  Erebus,  was  strongly  in  favor  of  the 
Wellington  Channel,  and  always  so  expressed  himself. 
See  his  letter,  before  quoted,  to  Sir  John  Barrow,  p.  203 

Who  can  doubt  that  the  opinion  of  Capt.  Fitzjames, 
a  man  of  superior  minJ,  beloved  by  all  who  knew  him, 
and  in  the  service  "  the  observed  of  all  observers,"  would 
have  great  weight  with  Sir  John  Franklin,  even  if  Sir 
John  had  not  been  himself  predisposed  to  listen  to  him. 
What  adds  confirmation  to  the:3e  views  is,  that  in  1840, 
a  few  years  prior  to  the  starting  of  the  expedition,  Col. 
Sabine  published  the  deeply  interes*.Ing  "Narrative  of 
Baron  Wrangel's  Expedition  to  the  Polai'  Sea,  under- 
taken between  the  years  1820  and  1823,"  and  in  his  pre- 
face the  translator  points  to  the  Wellington  Channel  as 
the  most  likely  course  for  the  successful  accomplishment 
of  the  northwest  passage.  "Setting  aside,"  he  says, 
"  the  possibility  of  tiie  existence  of  unknown  land,  the 
probability  of  an  open  sea  existing  to  the  north  of  the 
Parry  islands,  and  communicating  with  Behring  Strait, 
appears  to  rest  on  strict  analogical  reasoning."  And 
a<Tain  he  adds, "  all  the  attempts  to  effect  the  northwest 
passage,  since  Barrow's  Strait  was  first  passed  in  1819, 
nave  consisted  in  an  endeavor  to  force  a  vessel  by  one 
Dute  or  another  through  this  land-locked  and  ice-encum- 
bered portion  of  the  Polar  Ocean." 

Ko  examination  has  made  known  what  may  bo  the 
elate  of  the  sea  to  the  north  of  the  Parry  Islands; 
whetlier  pimilar  impediments  may  there  present  them- 
eeives  to  navigation,  or  whether  a  sea  may  not  there 
exist  offering  no  difticulties  whatever  of  f^he  kind,  as  M. 
Von  Wrangel  has  shown  to  be  the  case  to  the  north  of 
the  Siberian  Islands,  and  as  by  strict  analogy  we  should 
be  juctified  in  expecting. 

Colonel  Sabiue  is  an  officer  yf  great  scientific  exp« 


M 


5  Si 

i'i 


if 


ii 


■ 


f  f 


'!i 


i    I 


250 


PROGRBSS   OP    AKailO   DISOOVBlTf 


r.gnce,  and  fi*ora  his  having  made  several  polar  voyages, 
he  has  devoted  great  attention  to  all  that  relates  to  tliat 
'luarter.  Ho  was  in  constant  communication  with  Sir 
John  Franklin  when  the  expedition  was  fitting  out,  and 
it  is  but  reasonable  to  suppose  that  he  would  be  some 
what  guided  bv  his  opinion. 

We  have,  then,  the  opinions  of  Franklin  hii..selt 
Colonel  Sabine,  and  Captain  Fitzjames,  all  bearing  on 
this  point,  and  we  must  remember  that  Parry,  who  dis- 
ijovered  and  named  this  channel,  saw  nothing  when 
passing  and  re-passing  it,  but  a  clear  open  sea  to  the 
northward. 

Lieut.  S.  Osborn,  in  a  paper  dated  the  4th  of  January, 
1850,  makes  the  following  suggestions  : — 

"General  opinion  places  the  lost  expedition  to  the 
west  of  Cape  W  alker,  and  south  of  the  latitude  of  Mel- 
ville Island.  The  distance  from  Cape  Bathurst  to  Bunks' 
Land  is  only  301  miles,  and  on  reference  to  a  chart  it 
will  ba  seen  that  nowhere  else  does  the  American  conti- 
nent approach  so  near  to  the  supposed  position  of  Frank- 
lin's expedition. 

"  Banks'  Land  bears  from  Cape  Bathurst  N.  41°  49', 
E:  302  miles,  and  there  is  reason  to  believe  that  in  the 
summer  season  a  portion  of  this  distance  may  be  trav 
ersed  in  boats. 

"Dr.  Richardson  confirms  pi avious reports  of  the  ice 
being  light  on  the  coast  east  of  the  Mackenzie  River  to 
Cape  Bathurst,  and  informs  us  t  lat  the  Esquimaux  had 
sv;en  '  no  ice  to  seaward  for  two  moons.' 

''  Every  mile  traversed  northward  by  a  party  from 
Cape  Bathurst  would  be  over  that  unknown  space  in 
\rhich  traces  of  Franklin  may  be  expected.  It  is  advis- 
able that  such  a  second  party  be  dispatched  from  Cape 
}»atlmrst,  in  order  that  the  prosecution  of  Dr.  Rae's 
examination  of  the  supposed  channel  between  Wollas- 
ton  and  Victoria  Lands  may  in  no  way  be  interfered 
with,  hv  his  attention  beinc:  called  to  the  westward." 

In  March,  1848,  the  Admiralty  announced  their  inten- 
tion of  rewarding  the  crews  of  any  whaling  ships  that 
brouglit  accurate  infori^jation  of  the  missing  expedition, 


OI'INKjNS    and   SUQOESTIOJNtf. 


251 


m 
In 

\q 
fa 


witli  the  sum  of  100  guineas  or  more,  according  to  cir- 
cumstances. Lady  Fi-ankiin  also  about  the  same  timo 
offered  rewards  ot  2000/.  and  3000Z.,  to  be  di-:cributed 
amo'  z  the  owner,  olticers,  and  crew  discovering  and 
affording  relief  to  her  husband,  or  jnaking  cxcniordi- 
nary  exertions  for  the  above  object,  and,  it  rj  Miirod. 
bringing  Sir  John  Franklin  and  his  jiarty  to  England. 

In  March,  1850,  the  following  further  rewards  were 
offered  by  the  British  government  to  pe'jons  of  any 
country : — 

1st.  To  any  party  or  person  who  in  the  judgment  of 
the  Board  of  Admiralty,  shall  discovfcr  and  enectuully 
relieve  the  crews  of  11.  M.  shipa  Erebus  and  Terror,  the 
sum  of  20,000/.,  or, 

2d.  To  any  party  or  parties,  &c.,  who  sliall  discover 
and  effectually  relieve  any  portion  of  the  crews,  or  shall 
convey  such  intelligence  as  shall  lead  to  the  relief  of 
any  of  the  crew,  the  sum  of  10,000/. 

3d.  To  any  party  or  parties  who  shall  by  virtue  of 
his  or  their  efforts,  first  succeed  in  ascertaining  their 
fate,  10,000/. 

In  a  dispatch  from  Sir  George  Simpson  to  Mr.  Kite, 
dated  Lacnine,  the  21st  of  January,  1850,  lie  says : — 

"If  they  be  still  alive,  I  feel  satisfied  that  every  effort 
it  may  be  in  the  power  of  .man  to  make  to  succor  them 
will  be  exerted  by  yourself  and  the  Company's  oilicers 
in  Mackenzie  River ;  but  should  your  late  search  have 
imfortunately  ended  in  disappointment,  it  is  the  desire 
of  the  Company  that  you  renew  your  explorations  next 
summer,  if  possible. 

"  By  the  annexed  correspondence  you  will  obscrv^e  that 
the  opinion  in  England  appears  to  be  that  onr  explora- 
tions ought  to  be  more  particularly  directed  to  that  ])or- 
tion  of  the  Northern  Sea  lying  between  Cape  Walke 
on  the  east,  Melville  Island  and  Banks'  Land  to  the 
n(»rth,  and  the  continental  shore  or  the  Victoria  Islands 
to  the  south. 

"  As  these  limits  are  believed  to  embrace  the  course 
hat  would  have  been  pursued  by  Sir  John  Franklin, 
Cape  Walker  being  one  of  the  points  he  was  particn- 
16  K 


i 


ii 


V 


If 


'5J 


1 


f  . 


H 


11 

1   L.     p 


M  ,'  / 


■\  K 


I  It  1  it 


i 


MM 


f 


I 


252 


rUOGRESS   OF   ARCTIC   DISCOVK.RY. 


iarly  instructed  to  make  for,  you  will  therefore  be 
pleased,  immediately  on  the  receipt  of  this  letter,  to  lit 
out  another  exploring  party,  to  proceed  in  the  direction 
above  indicated,  but  varying  the  route  that  may  have 
been  followed  last  summer,  which  party,  besides  their 
own  examination  of  the  coast  and  islands,  should  be 
instructed  to  offer  liberal  rewards  to  the  Esquimaux  to 
search  for  some  vestiges  of  the  missing  expedition,  and 
similar  rewards  should  be  offered  to  the  Indians  inhab 
iting  near  the  coast  and  Peel's  River,  and  the  half-bred 
hunters  of  Mackenzie  River,  the  latter  being,  perhaj)©, 
more  energetic  than  the  former ;  assuring  them  that 
whoever  may  procure  authentic  intelligence  will  be 
largely  rewarded. 

"  Simultaneously  with  the  expedition  to  proceed  to- 
ward Cape  "Walker,  one  or  two  small  parties  should  be 
dispatched  to  the  westward  of  the  Mackenzie,  in  the 
direction  of  Point  Barrow,  one  of  which  might  pass  over 
to  the  Youcon  River,  and  descending  that  stream  to  the 
sea,  carry  on  their  explorations  in  that  quarter,  while 
the  other,  going  down  the  Mackenzie,  might  trace  tlie 
coast  thence  toward  the  Youcon.  And  these  parties 
must  also  be  instructed  to  offer  rewards  to  the  natives 
to  prosecute  the  search  in  all  directions. 

"  By  these  means  there  is  reason  to  believe  that  in 
the  course  of  one  year  so  minute  a  search  '^lay  be  made 
of  the  coast  and  the  islands,  that  in  the  event  of  the 
expedition  having  passed  in  that  direction,  some  trace 
of  their  progress  would  certainly  be  discovered. 

"  From  your  experience  in  arctic  discovery,  and  pe- 
culiar qualifications  for  such  an  undertaking,  I  am  in 
hopes  you  may  be  enabled  yourself  to  assume  the 
command  of  the  party  to  proceed  to  the  northward ; 
and,  as  leaders  of  the  two  parties  to  explore  the  coast 
to  the  westward  of  the  Mackenzie,  you  will  have  to 
select  such  officers  of  the  Company's  service  within 
the  district  as  may  appear  best  qualified  for  the  duty 
Mr.  Murray,  I  think,  would  be  a  very  fit  man  for  one 
of  the  leaders,  and  if  one  party  be  sent  by  way  of  the 
Youcon,  he  might  take  charge  of  it.    In  the  event  of 


OFIKIONS   AND  6LGOE8TIONB. 


258 


yoar  going  on  this  expedition,  you  will  be  pleased  to 
make  over  the  charge  of  the  district  to  Chief  Trader 
13eil  during  your  absence. 

"In  case  you  may  be  short-handed,  I  have  by  this 
conveyance  instructed  Chief  Factor  Ballendon  to  en- 
gage in  Red  River  ten  choice  men,  accustomed  to  boat- 
ing, and  well  fitted  for  such  a  duty  as  will  be  required 
of  them ;  and  if  there  be  a  chance  of  their  reacliing 
Mackenzie  River,  or  even  Athabasca,  before  the  break- 
ing up  of  the  ice,  to  forward  them  immediately. 

"  Should  the  season,  however,  be  too  far  advanced 
to  enable  them  to  accomplish  the  journey  by  winter 
traveling,  Mr.  Ballenden  is  directed  to  increase  the 
party  to  fourteen  men,  with  a  guide  to  be  dispatclied 
from  Red  River  immediately  after  the  opening  of  tlie 
navigation,  in  two  boats,  laden  with  provisions  and 
flour,  and  a  few  bales  of  clothing,  in  order  to  meet,  in 
some  degree,  the  heavy  drain  that  will  be  occasioned 
on  our  resources  in  provisions  and  necessary  supplies 
m  Mackenzie  River.  The  leader  of  this  party  from 
Red  River  may,  perhaps,  be  qualified  to  act  as  the 
conductor  of  one  of  the  parties  to  examine  the  coast 
to  the  westward." 

On  the  5th  of  February,  1850,  another  consultation 
took  place  at  the  Admiralty  among  those  officers  most 
experienced  in  these  matters,  and  their  opinions  in 
writing  were  solicited.  It  is  important,  therefore,  to 
submit  these  as  fully  as  possible  to  the  consideration 
of  the  reader. 

The  first  is  the  report  of  the  hydrographer  of  the 
Admiralty,  dated  the  29th  of  January,  1850 :  — 

"  Memorandum,  hy  ReaT-Admiral  Sir  Francis  Beau 

fort,  K.  G,  B, 

"The  Behring's  Strait  expedition  being  at  length 
iairly  oif,  it  appears  to  me  to  be  a  duty  to  submit  to 
their  Lordships  that  no  time  should  now  be  lost  in 
equipping  another  set  of  vessels  to  renew  the  search 
on  the  opposite  side,  thi  )ugh  Baflin's  Bay ;  and  this 
being  the  fifth  year  that  the  Erebus  and  Terror  have 


254 


PROGRESS   OF  AROTIO   DISOOVKRT. 


hoen  }il)sent,  and  probably  reduced  to  only  casnal  snp 
[ilii'8  of  food  and  fuel,  it  may  be  assumed  that  tliis 
search  should  be  so  complete  and  effectual  as  to  leave 
unexamined  no  place  in  which,  by  any  of  the  supposi 
tiona  that  have  been  put  forward,  it  is  at  all  likely  they 
may  be  found. 

*'  Sir  John  Franklin  is  not  a  man  to  treat  his  orders 
witli  levity,  and  therefore  his  first  attempt  was  un 
doubtedly  made  in  the  direction  of  Melville  Island,  and 
not  to  the  westward.  If  foiled  in  that  attempt,  he 
naturally  hauled  to  the  southward,  and  using  Banks 
Land  as  a  barrier  against  the  northern  ice,  he  would 
try  to  make  westing  under  its  lee.  Thirdly,  if  both  of 
these  roads  were  found  closed  against  his  advance,  he 
perhaps  availed  himself  of  one  of  the  four  passages 
i)etvveen  the  Parry  Islands,  including  the  Wellington 
Channel.  Or,  lastly,  he  may  have  returned  to  Baffin's 
Bay  and  taken  the  inviting  opening  of  Jones'  Sound. 

"  All  those  four  tracks  must  therefore  be  diligently 
examined  before  the  search  can  be  called  complete, 
and  the  only  method  of  rendering  that  examination 
prompt  and  efficient  will  be  through  the  medium  of 
steam ;  while  only  useless  expense  and  reiterated  dis 
appointment  will  attend  the  best  efforts  of  sailing  ves- 
sels, loavino;  the  lingering  survivors  of  the  lost  ships.^ 
as  well  as  their  relatives  in  England,  in  equal  despair. 
Had  Sir  James  Koss  been  in  a  steam  vessel,  he  would 
not  have  l)eon  surrounded  with  ice  and  swept  out  of 
the  Sh-ait,  but  by  shooting  under  the  protection  of  Leo- 
pold Tsland,  he  would  have  waited  there  till  that  fatal 
field  1 1  ad  passed  to  the  eastward,  and  he  then  would 
have  found  a  perfectly  open  sea  up  to  Melville  Island. 

"Tl'.o  best  application  of  steam  to  ice-going  vesseh 
woulvl  be  Ericson's  screw;  but  the  screw  or  paddles  of 
any  of  our  moderate-sized  vessels  might  be  made  U 
elevate  with  facility.  Vessels  so  fitted  would  not  re- 
quire to  be  fortified  in  an  extraordinary  degree,  not 
more  than  common  whalers.  From  the  log-like  quies- 
cence with  which  a  sailing  vessel  must  await  the  crush 
of  two  approaching  floes,  they  must  be  as  strong  aa 


^1 


mmsm>mmmmfm 


OPINIONS    AND    SUOOESTIONB. 


255 


jeo 
ital 
|iil6 
Ind. 

of 

tx 

re- 

Inot 

lies- 

^ish 

afl 


wood  niul  iron  can  make  them  ;  but  tho  stoamor  slipa 
ont  of  tlie  reach  of  tlio  colliRion,  waits  till  tho  shock  ia 
]»ast,  and  tlicn  profiting  by  thoir  mutual  recoil,  darts 
at  once  through  the  transient  opening. 

"Two  such  vessels,  and  each  of  thera  attended  by 
two  tenders  laden  with  coals  and  provisions,  would  be 
Buthcient  for  the  uiain  lines  of  search.  Every  prcMui 
ncnt  point  of  land  where  notices  might  have  been  left 
would  be  visited,  details  of  their  own  proceedings  would 
be  deposited,  and  each  of  the  tenders  would  bo  left  in 
proper  positions,  as  points  of  rendezvous  on  which  to 
fall  back. 

"Besides  these  two  branches  of  the  expedition,  it 
would  be  well  to  allow  the  whaling  captain  (Penny,)  to 
carry  out  his  proposed  undertaking,  llis  local  knowl- 
edge, his  thorougli  acquaintance  with  all  the  mysteries 
of  the  ice  navigation,  and  his  well  known  skill  and 
resources,  seem  to  point  him  out  as  a  most  valuable 
auxiliary. 

"  But  whatever  vessels  may  be  chosen  for  this  service, 
I  would  beseech  their  lordships  to  expedite  them  ;  all 
our  attempts  have  been  deferred  too  long  ;  and  there  is 
now  reason  tobelieve  that  very  early  in  the  season,  in 
May  or  even  in  April,  Baffin's  Bay  may  be  crossed  be- 
fore the  accumulated  ice  of  winter  spreads  over  its 
surface.  If  they  arrive  rather  too  soon,  they  may  very 
advantageously  await  the  proper  moment  in  some  of 
tiie  Greenland  harbors,  preparing  themselves  for  the 
coming  efforts  and  struggles,  and  procuring  Esquimaux 
!nten3reters. 

"  In  order  to  press  every  resource  into  the  service  of 
this  noble  enterprise,  the  vessels  should  be  extensively 
furnished  with  means  for  blasting  and  splitting  the  ice, 
perhaps  circular  saws  might  be  adapted  to  the  steamers, 
a  launch  to  each  party,  with  a  small  rotary  engine, 
sledges  for  the  shore,  and  light  boats  with  sledge  bear- 
ings for  broken  ice-fields,  balloofis  for  the  distribution 
of  advertisements,  and  kites  for  the  explosion  of  lofty 
tire-balls.  And,  lastly,  they  should  have  vigorous  and 
numerous  crews,  so  that  when  detachments  are  away. 


2o 


6 


PROGRESS  OP  ARCTIC   DISCOVERT. 


f  .' 


I   1 


:y  r  k 


,u 


otlicr  operations  should  not  bo  intermitted  for  want  of 
pliysical  strength. 

"  As  the  council  of  the  Roval  Society,  some  time  ago, 
thought  proper  to  remind  their  lordships  of  the  propriety 
of  iuHtitnting  this  search,  it  would  be  fair  now  to  call  on 
that  learned  body  for  all  the  advice  and  suggestions, 
that  science  and  philosophy  can  contribute  toward  the 
accomplishment  of  the  great  object  on  which  the  eyes 
of  all  England  and  indeed  of  all  the  world,  are  now 
entirely  fixed." 

Captain  Beecbey,  writing  to  the  Secretary  of  the  Ad- 
miralty, 7th  of  February,  1850,  says  : — 

"  The  urgent  nature  of  the  case  alone  can  justify  the 
iiae  of  ordinary  steamers  in  an  icy  sea,  and  great  pru- 
dence and  judgment  will  be  required  on  the  part  of 
their  commanders,  to  avoid  being  disabled  by  collision 
and  pressure. 

"  1  would  also  add,  as  an  exception,  that  I  think  Leo- 
pold Island  and  Cape  Walker,  it  possible,  should  both 
be  examined,  prior  to  any  attempt  being  made  to  pene- 
trate in  other  directions  from  Barrow's  Strait,  and  that 
the  bottom  of  Regent  Inlet,  about  the  Pelly  Islands, 
should  not  bo  left  unexamined.  In  the  memorandum 
submitted  to  their  lordships  on  the  17th  of  January, 
1849,  tiiis  quarter  was  considered  of  importance ;  and 
I  am  still  of  opinion,  that,  had  Sir  John  Franklin  aban- 
doned his  vessels  near  the  coast  of  America,  and  much 
short  of  the  Mackenzie  River,  he  would  have  preferred 
the  proliability  of  retaining  the  use  of  his  boats  until 
he  found  relief  in  Barrow?  Strait,  to  risking  an  over- 
land journey  via  the  before-mentioned  river ;  it  must 
be  remembered,  that  at  the  time  he  sailed,  Sir  George 
Back's  discovery  had  rendered  it  very  probable  that 
Boothia  was  an  island. 

"An  objection  to  the  necessity  of  this  search  seems 
to  be,  that  had  Sir  John  Franklin  taken  that  route,  lie 
would  have  reached  Fury  Beach  already.  However,  1 
cannot  but  think  there  will  yet  be  found  some  good 
grounds  fur  the  Esquimaux  sketch,  and  that  their  mean- 
ing lias  been  misunderstood ;  and  as  Mr.  M'Cormick  U 


OPINIONS  OF   ARCrriO    *0TA0KR8. 


257 


lorgo 
that 


jems 
lie 
|er,  1 

jood 
lean- 

3k  ifl 


an  entorprising  porson,  whose  name  has  already  been 
before  tneir  lordships,  I  would  submit,  whether  a  boat 
expedition  from  Leopold  Depot,  under  his  direction, 
would  not  satisfactorily  set  at  rest  all  inquiry  upon  this, 
now  the  only  quarter  unprovided  for." 

Captain  Sir  W.  E.  Parry  states  : — 

"I  am  decidedly  of  opinion  that  the  main  search 
should  be  renewed  in  the  direction  of  Melville  Island 
and  Banks'  Land,  including  as  a  part  of  the  plan  the 
thorough  examination  of  Wellington  Strait  and  of  the 
other  similar  openings  between  the  islands  of  the  group 
bearing  my  name.  1  entertain  a  growing  conviction  of 
the  probabilitjr  of  the  missing  ships,  or  at  least  a  con- 
ft'derable  portion  of  the  crewc,  bemg  shut  up  ut  Mel 
ville  Island,  Blanks'  Land,  or  in  that  neighborhood, 
agreeing  as  I  do  with  Rear  AdtiilrHl  Sir  Francis  Beau- 
fort, in  his  report  read  yesterday  to  the  Board  that  *  Sir 
John  Franklm  is  not  a  man  to  treut  his  orders  with 
levity,'  which  he  would  be  justly  cha''£\^able  with  doing 
if  he  attached  greater  weight  to  any  notions  he  might 
personally  entertain  than  to  the  Admira\fy  instructions, 
which  he  well  knew  to  be  founded  on  the  eicperience  oi' 
tormer  attempts,  and  on  the  best  information  which 
could  then  be  obtained  on  the  subject.  For  these  rea- 
sons I  can  scarcely  doubt  that  he  would  employ  at  least 
two  seasons,  those  of  1845  and  1846,  in  an  unremitting 
attempt  to  penetrate  directly  westward  or  southwest  ward 
to  Behring's  Strait. 

"  Supposing  this  conjecture  to  be  correct,  nothing  can 
be  more  likely  than  that  Sir  John  Franklin's  ships,  hav- 
ing penetrated  in  seasons  of  ordinary  temperature  a 
considerable  distance  in  that  direction,  have  been  locked 
up  by  successive  seasons  of  extraordinary  rigor,  thus 
baffling  the  efforts  of  their  weakened  crews  to  escape 
from  the  ice  in  either  of  the  two  directions  by  Behring^s 
or  Barrow's  Straits. 

"And  here  I  cannot  but  add,  that  my  o'^ni  conviction 
of  this  probability — for  it  is  only  with  probabilitii'S 
that  we  nave  to  deal  —  has  been  greatly  strengthened 
by  a  letter  I  have  lately  received  from  Col.  Sabine,  of 


•   ! 


258 


PROOIilCSS   OF    AliOTIO    DIflC.'OVKttT. 


I  . 


■  •{• 
I  fr  • 

I  f- 


I 


I ;  a 


the  Royal  Artillery,  of  which  I  had  the  honor  to  sub 
tnit  rt  copy  to  Sir  Fnincis  13ftrinjr.  Colonel  Sabine 
having  ucconipuniod  two  succesHivo  expeditiouH  to  Btit'- 
fin'H  mv,  incluclinff  thut  under  my  coinninnd  which 
reiichcd  Molvillo  Island,  I  consider  his  views  to  ho  well 
worthy  of  thoir  lordships'  attention  on  this  part  of  th« 
subject. 

"  It  must  bo  admitted,  however,  that  considerable 
weight  is  due  to  the  conjecture  which  has  been  offered 
by  persona  capable  of  forming  a  sound  judgiru^nt,  that 
having  failed,  as  I  did,  in  the  attempt  to  penetrate  west- 
ward, Sir  John  Franklin  nrght  deem  it  j>rudent  to  re- 
truce  his  steps,  and  was  enabled  to  do  so,  in  order  to  try 
a  more  northern  route,  either  through  Wellington  Strait 
or  some  other  of  those  openings  between  the  Parry 
Islands  to  which  I  have  already  referred.  And  this  idea 
receives  no  small  importance  from  the  fact,  (said  to  bo 
beyond  a  doubt,)  of  Sir  John  Franklin  having,  before 
his  departure,  ex])res8ed  such  an  intention  in  case  of 
failino;  to  the  westward. 

"  1  cannot,  therefore,  consider  the  intended  search  to 
bo  complete  without  making  the  examination  of  Wel- 
lington Strait  and  its  adjacent  oi)ening8  a  distinct  ])nrt 
of  the  plan,  to  be  performed  by  one  portion  of  tho 
vessels  which  I  shall  presently  propose  for  tho  main 
expedition. 

"  Much  stress  lias  likewise  been  laid,  and  I  tiiink  not 
nltogothe;*  without  reason,  on  the  [)ropriety  of  search- 
ing .Tonoo  and  Smith's  Sounds  in  the  northwest  parts  of 
BalKn's  Bay.  Considerable  interest  has  lately  been  at- 
tached to  Jones'  Sound,  from  the  fact  of  its  having  been 
recently  navigated  by  at  least  one  enterprising  whaler, 
and  foui:d  to  be  of  great  width,  free  from  ice,  with  a 
swell  from  the  westward,  and  having  no  land  visible  from 
the  mast-head  in  that  direction.  It  seems  more  than 
probable,  therefore,  that  it  may  be  found  to  communi- 
cate with  Wellington  Strait ;  so  that  if  Sir  John  Frank- 
lin's ships  have  been  detained  anywhere  to  the  north- 
ward of  the  Parry  Islands,  it  would  be  by  Jones'  Sound 
that  he  would  probably  endeavor  to  eflVct  bis  escape, 


OriNIONB    AN!)   HLGOiiBTlONl*. 


259 


rathor  tlmn  by  the  less  direct  route  of  Earrow'e  Strait 
I  do  nut  nivHelt*  attacii  much  importance  to  the  idea  of 
Sir  John  iM-anklin  having  so  far  retraced  his  stepb  as 
to  come  back  through  Lancaster  Sound,  and  recom- 
mence his  enterprise  by  entering  Jones*  Sound  ;  but 
the  ])08Hibility  of  his  attempting  his  escape  through 
thlH  line  opening,  and  the  report,  (though  somewhat 
vague,)  of  a  cairn  of  stones  seen  by  one  of  the  whalers 
on  a  iieadiuud  within  it,  seems  to  me  to  render  it  highly 
ex[)cdient  to  set  this  question  at  rest  by  a  search  in 
this  (liiection,  including  the  examination  of  Smith's 
Sound  also." 

1  hiiis  tt)  cite  next  an  extract  from  the  letter  of  Dr.  Sir 
John  Kiciiardson  to  the  Secretary  of  the  Admiralty  ; — 

''''ITadar  Ifospital^  Oonport^^th  of  February  ^  1850 

"  With  respect  to  the  direction  in  which  a  successful 
search  may  be  predicated  with  the  most  confidence, 
very  various  opinions  have  been  put  forth;  some  huve 
supposed  either  tliat  the  ships  were  lost  liefore  reaching 
Lanciister  Sound,  or  tiiatSir  John  Franklin,  finding  an 
inipasHuble  barrier  of  ice  in  the  eiivrance  of  Lancaster 
Sound,  may  hive  sought  for  a  passage  through  Jones' 
Sound.  I  do  lot  feel  inclined  to  give  much  weight  to 
citlier  conjecture.  When  we  consider  the  strengtli  of 
th'^  Erebus  ai  d  Terror,  calculated  to  resist  the  strongest 
probsurc  to  v  hic!i  ships  navigating  Baffin's  Bav  have 
been  known  to  be  8ul)]ect,  in  conjimclion  with  the  fact 
tiKit,  of  the  many  whalers  which  have  been  crushed  or 
abandoned  since  tlie  commencement  of  the  fishery,  the 
crews,  or  at  least  the  greater  part  of  them,  have,  in 
almost  every  case,  succeeded  in  reaching  other  ships,  or 
the  Danish  settlements,  ^  e  cannot  believe  that  the  two 
discovery  ships,  which  were  seen  on  the  edge  of  the 
middle  ice  so  early  as  the  26th  of  July,  can  have  been 
so  suddenly  and  totally  overwhelmed  as  to  preclude 
some  one  of  the  intelligent  officers,  whose  minds  were 
prepared  for  every  emergency,  with  their  select  crews 
of  non,  experienced  in  the  ice,  from  placing  a  boat  on 
tlio  ice  or  w^ater,  and  thus  carrying  intelligence  of  the 


PR0ORTSS8   OF    ARCTIC   DISCOVERT, 


disaster  to  one  of  the  many  whalers  whicn  remained  fo» 
two  months  afcer  that  date  in  those  seas,  and  this  in  the 
absence  of  any  unusual  catastrophe  among  the  fishing 
vessels  that  season. 

"  With  respect  to  Jones'  Sound,  it  is  admitted  by  all 
who  are  intimately  acquainted  with  Sir  John  T'rankliii, 
tliat  his  first  endeavor  would  be  to  act  up  to  the  letter 
of  his  instructions,  and  that  therefore  he  would  not 
liglitly  abandon  the  attempt  to  pass  Lancaster  Sound. 
From  tlie  logs  of  the  whalers  year  after  year,  we  learn 
that  when  once  they  have  succeeded  in  rounding  the 
middle  ice,  they  enter  Lancaster  Sound  with  facility  : 
had  Sir  John  Franklin,  then,  gained  that  Sound,  and 
from  the  premises  we  appear  to  be  fully  justified  in 
concluding  that  he  did  so,  and  had  he  afterward  en- 
countered a  compact  field  of  ice,  barring  Barrow's 
Strait  and  Wellington  Sound,  he  would  then,  after  be- 
ing convinced  that  he  would  lose  the  season  in  attempt 
ing  to  bore  through  it,  have  borne  up  for  Jones'  Sound, 
but  not  until  he  had  erected  a  conspicuous  landmark, 
and  lodged  a  memorandum  of  his  reason  for  deviating 
from  his  instructions. 

"The  absence  of  such  a  sifnial-post  in  Lancaster 
Sound  is  an  argument  against  the  expedition  having 
turned  back  from  thence,  and  is,  on  the  other  hand,  u 
sti-ong  support  to  the  suspicion  that  Barrow's  Strait  was 
as  open  in  1845  as  when  Sir  W.  E.  Parry  first  passed 
it  in  1819  ;  that,  such  being  the  case,  Sir  John  Frank- 
lin, without  delay  and  witliout  landing,  pushed  on  to 
Cape  Walker,  and  that,  subsequently,  in  endeavoring 
to  penetrate  to  the  soutkwest,  he  became  involved  in 
the  drift  ice,  which,  there  is  reason  to  believe,  urged 
by  the  prevailing  winds  and  the  set  of  the  flood  tides, 
is  carried  toward  Coronation  Gulf,  through  channels 
more  or  less  intricate.  Should  he  have  found  no  open- 
ing at  Cape  Walker,  he  would,  of  course,  have  sought 
one  further  to  the  west ;  or,  finding  the  southerly  and 
westerly  opening  blocked  by  ice,  he  might  have  tried  a 
northern  passage. 

"  In  either  case,  the  plan  of  search  propounded  by 


in.'  ' 


OPmiONS    AND   SUQQESriONS. 


261 


red  m 

tidea, 
lannels 

open- 
5ongbt 
ly  and 
Itried  a 

ed  hj 


Bir  Francis  Beaulbrt  eeenis  to  provide  against  everv 
contingency,  CBpeciaJly  when  taken  in  conjunction  with 
Captain  Collinison's  expedition,  via  Behring's  Strait, 
and  the  boat  parties  from  the  Mackenzie. 

"  I  do  not  venture  to  offer  an  opinion  on  the  strength 
or  equipment  of  the  vessels  to  be  employed,  or  other 
merely  nautical  questions,  further  than  by  remarking, 
tliat  the  use  of  the  small  vessels,  which  forms  part  of 
Sir  Francis  Beaufort's  scheme,  is  supported  by  the  suc- 
cess of  the  early  navigators  with  their  very  small  crafl, 
and  the  late  gallant  exploit  of  Mr.  Shedden,*in  round- 
ing Icy  Capo  and  Point  Barrow,  in  the  Nancy  Dawson 
yacht. 

"  xYnd  further,  with  respect  to  the  comparative  merits 
of  the  paddles  and  screw  in  the  arctic  seas,  I  beg  leave 
merely  to  observe,  that  as  long  as  the  screw  is  immersed 
in  water  it  will  continue  to  act,  irrespective  of  the  tem 
perature  of  the  air  ;  but  when,  as  occurs  late  in  the 
autumn,  the  atmosphere  is  suddenly  cooled  below  the 
freezing  point  of  sea  water,  by  a  northerly  gale,  while 
the  sea  itself  remains  warmer,  the  paddles  will  be 
speedily  clogged  bv  ice  accumulating  on  the  floats  as 
they  rise  through  the  air  in  every  revolution.  An  in- 
cident recorded  by  Sir  James  C.  Koss,  furnishes  a  strik- 
i:ig  illustration  of  the  powerful  action  of  a  cold  wind  ; 
I  allude  to  a  fish  having  been  thrown  up  bv  the  spray 
against  the  bows  of  the  Terror,  and  firmly  frozen  there, 
(luring  a  gale  in  a  high  southerly  latitude.  Moreover, 
even  with  the  aid  of  a  ready  contrivance  for  topping 
the  paddles,  the  flatness  or  hollowncss  of  the  sides  of  a 
paddle  steamer  renders  her  less  flt  for  sustaining  pres- 
sure ;  the  machinery  is  more  in  the  way  of  oblique 
beams  for  strengthening,  and  she  is  less  efficient  as  a 
Bailing  vessel  wnen  the  steam  is  let  ofll" 

Memorandum  inclosed  in  Dr.  IPOormich'a  Letter 
of  the  1st  of  January y  1850. 

**  In  the  month  of  April  last,  I  laid  before  my  Lorda 
Commissioners  of  the  Admiralty  a  plan  of  search  for 
the  missing  expedition  under  the  command  of  Ca])tain 


?vi;Ur     l-i-'f 


If' 'iv  f  ' 


ac2 


PR0GUKS8    OF    ARCTIC    niSCOVERT 


Sir  John  Franklin,  by  means  of  a  boat  expedition  ap 
Jones'  and  Smith's  Sounds,  volunteering  myself  to 
conduct  it. 

"  In  that  plan  I  stated  the  reasons  which  had  induced 
me  to  direct  my  attention  more  especially  to  the  open- 
ings at  the  head  of  Baffin's  Bay,  which,  at  the  time 
were  not  included  within  the  general  scheme  of  search. 

"Wellington  Channel,  however,  of  all  the  probable 
openings  into  the  Polar  Sea,  possesses  the  highest  de- 
gree of  interest,  and  the  exploration  of  it  is  of  such 
paramount  importance,  that  I  should  most  unquestion 
ably  have  comprised  it  within  mj''  plan  of  search,  had 
not  Iler  Majesty's  ships  Enterprise  and  Investigator 
been  employed  at  the  time  in  Barrow's  Strait  for  the 
express  purpose  of  examining  this  inlet  and  Cape 
Walker,  two  of  the  most  essential  points  of  search  in 
the  whole  track  of  the  Erebus  and  Terror  to  the  west- 
ward ;  being  those  points  at  the  very  threshold  of  his 
enterprise,  from  which  Sir  John  Franklin  would  take 
his  departure  from  the  known  to  the  unknown,  whether 
he  shaped  a  southwesterly  course  from  the  latter,  or 
attempted  the  passat^e  in  a  higher  latitude  from  the 
formei  point. 

"  The  return  of  the  sea  expedition  from  Port  Leo- 
poldj  and  the  overland  one  from  the  Mackenzie  Biver, 
both  alike  unsuccessful  in  their  search,  leaves  the  fate 
of  the  gallant  Franklin  and  his  companions  as  proble- 
matical as  ever ;  in  fact,  the  case  stands  precisely  as  it 
did  two  years  ago ;  the  work  ie  yet  to  be  begun ;  every 
thing  remains  to  be  accomplished. 

"In  renewal  of  the  search  in  the  ensuing  spring, 
more  would  be  accomplished  in  boats  than  in  any  other 
way,  not  only  by  Beh ring's  Strait,  but  from  the  east- 
ward. For  the  difficulties  attendant  on  icy  navigatitm 
which  form  so  insuperable  a  barrier  to  the  progress  of 
ships,  would  be  reaaily  surmounted  by  boats ;  by  means 
of  which  the  coast  line  may  be  closely  examined  for 
cairns  of  stones,  under  which  Sir  John  Franklin  would 
most  indubitably  deposit  memorials  of  his  y)rogre8a 
"•p  all  prominent  positions,  as  opportunities  might  oifer. 


JPINIONS   AND  SUGGESTIONS. 


263 


"  Tlie  discovery  of  one  of  these  mementos  would,  in 
a  »  probability,  afford  a  clue  that  might  lead  to  the  res- 
cue of  our  enterprising  countrymen,  ere  another  and 
sixth  winter  close  in  upon  them,  should  they  be  still, 
m  existence ;  and  the  time  has  not  yet  arrived  for  aban 
doning  hope. 

"  In  renewing  once  more  the  offer  of  my  services, 
which  I  do  most  cheerfully,  I  see  no  reason  for  chang- 
ing the  opinions  I  entertained  last  spring ;  subsequent 
events  have  only  tended  to  confirm  them.  I  then  be- 
lieved, and  I  do  so  still,  after  a  long  and  mature  con- 
sideration of  the  subject,  that  Sir  John  Franklin's  ships 
have  been  arrested  in  a  high  latitude,  and  beset  in  the 
heavy  polar  ice  northward  of  the  Parry  Islands,  and 
that  their  probable  course  thither  has  been  through  the 
Wellington  Channel,  or  one  of  the  sounds  at  the  north- 
ern extremity  of  Baffin's  Bay. 

"  This  appears  to  me  to  be  the  only  view  of  the  case 
that  ctm  in  any  way  account  for  the  entire  absence  of 
all  tidin?^8  of  them  throughout  so  protracted  a  period 
of  time  (unless  all  have  perished  by  some  sudden  and 
overwhelming  catastrophe.) 

*  "  Isolated  as  their  position  would  be  under  such  cir- 
cumstances, any  attempt  to  reach  the  continent  of 
America  at  sucn  a  distance  would  be  hopeless  in  the 
extreme  :  and  the  mere  chance  of  any  party  from  the 
ships  reaching  the  top  of  Baffin's  Bay  at  the  very  mo- 
ment of  a  whaler's  brief  and  uncertain  visit  would  be 
attended  with  by  far  too  great  a  risk  to  justify  the  at- 
tempt, for  failure  would  msure  inevitable  destruction 
to  the  whole  party;  therefore  their  only  alternative 
would  be  to  keep  together  in  their  ships,  should  no  dis- 
aster have  happened  to  them,  and  by  husbanding  their 
remaining  resources,  eke  them  out  with  whatever  wild 
animals  may  come  within  their  reach. 

"  Had  Sir  John  Franklin  been  able  to  shape  a  south- 
westerly course  from  Cape  Walker,  as  directed  by  his 
instructions,  the  probability  is,  some  intelligence  of 
him  would  have  reached  this  country  ere  this,  (nearly 
five  years  liaving  already  elapsed  since  his  departure 


1 


■i 


if  \: 


I;  1  ^  1. 


^  5SI  . 


i'i'ii 


K 

'   j  •  i       ?! 

ff 

■•  1     1      ■■ 

26^ 


PROGRESS   OF  ARCTIC   DISCOVERY. 


from  it.)  Parties  would  have  been  sent  out  from  Lis 
ships,  either  in  the  direction  of  the  coast  of  Amcnca 
or  Barrow's  Strait,  whichever  happened  to  be  the  most 
accessible.  Esquimaux  would  nave  been  fallen  in 
with,  and  tidings  of  the  long-absent  expedition  have 
been  obtained. 

"  Failing  in  penetrating  beyond  Cape  Walker,  Sir 
John  FranKlin  would  have  left  some  notice  of  his  fu- 
ture intentions  on  that  spot,  or  the  nearest  accessible 
one  to  it ;  and  should  he  then  retrace  his  course  for  the 
Wellington  Channel,  the  most  probable  conjecture,  he 
would  not  pass  up  that  inlet  without  depositing  a  fur- 
ther account  of  his  proceedings,  either  on  the  western 
or  eastern  point  of  the  entrance  to  it.  , 

"Therefore,  should  my  proposal  meet  with  their 
Lordships'  approbation,  I  would  most  respectfully  sub- 
mit, that  the  party  I  have  volunteered  to  conduct 
should  be  landed  at  the  entrance  to  the  Wellington 
Channel,  or  the  nearest  point  attainable  by  any  ship 
that  their  Lordships  may  deem  fit  to  employ  in  a  fu- 
ture search,  consistently  with  any  other  services  that 
ship  may  have  to  perforin ;  and  should  a  landing  be 
effected  on  the  eastern  side,  I  would  propose  commenc-  * 
ing  the  search  from  Cape  Kiley  or  Beechey  Island  in 
a  northeiiy  direction,  carefully  examining  every  re- 
markable headland  and  indentation  of  the  western 
coast  of  North  Devon  for  memorials  of  the  missing  cx- 
])edition ;  I  would  then  cross  over  the  Wellington 
Channel  and  continue  the  search  along  the  northern 
shore  of  Cornwallis  Island,  extending  the  exploration 
to  the  westward  as  far  as  the  remaining  portion  of  the 
season  would  permit,  so  as  to  secure  the  retreat  of  the 
party  before  the  winter  set  in,  returning  either  by  the 
eastern  or  western  side  of  Cornwallis  Island,  as  cir 
cumstances  might  indicate  to  be  the  most  desirable  at 
the  time,  after  ascertaining  the  general  extent  and 
trending  of  the  shores  of  that  island. 

"As,  however,  it  would  be  highly  desirable  that 
Jones'  Sound  should  not  be  omitted  in  the  search,  more 
especially  as  a  whaler,  last  season,  reached  its  entrance 


OPLNIOi!48   AND  SUQGESTIONB. 


265 


and  reported  it  open,  I  would  furtner  f  vopose,  that  the 
ship  conveying  the  exploring  party  out  should  look  into 
this  opening  on  her  way  to  Lancaster  Sound,  if  circum- 
stances permitted  of  her  doing  so  early  in  the  season  ; 
and,  if  found  to  be  free  from  ice,  the  attempt  might  be 
made  by  the  boat  expedition  to  push  through  it  to  the 
westward  in  this  latitude ;  and  should  it  prove  to  be 
an  opening  into  the  Polar  Sea,  of  which  I  think  there 
can  be  little  doubt,  a  great  saving  of  time  and  distance 
would  be  accomplishea.  Failing  m  this,  the  ship  should 
be  secured  in  some  central  position  in  the  vicmity  of 
the  Wellington  Channel,  as  apoint  d^appui  to  fall  back 
upon  in  the  search  froni  that  quarter. 

(Signed,)  R.  M'CoKincK,  R.  N. 

"  Twickenham^  lat  oj  Janua/ry^  1850." 


Outline  of  a  Plcm  of  cm  Overland  Journey  to  the 
Polar  Sea^  hy  the  Way  of  the  Coppermine  Jiiver, 
in  Search  of  Sir  John  ^anhli/n^a  tlxpedition^  aug' 
gested  in  1847. 

"  If  Sir  John  Franklin,  guided  by  his  instructions, 
has  passed  through  Barrow's  Strait,  and  shaped  a  south- 
westerly course,  from  the  meridian  of  Cape  ^  Q,lker, 
with  the  intention  of  gaining  the  northern  coast  of  the 
continent  of  America,  and  so  passing  through  the  Dol- 
phin and  Union  Strait,  along  the  shore  of  that  conti- 
nent, to  Behring's  Strait; 

"  His  greatest  risk  of  detention  by  the  ice  through- 
out this  course  would  be  found  between  the  parallels  of 
74°  and  69°  north  latitude,  and  the  meridians  of  100° 
and  110°  west  longitude,  or,  in  other  words,  that  por- 
tion of  the  northwest  passage  which  yet  remains  unex- 
plored, occupying  the  space  bciween  the  western  coast 
of  Boothia  on  the  one  side,  a^d  the  island  or  islands 
forming  Banks'  and  Victoria  Lands  on  the  other. 

"  Should  the  Erebus  and  Te.ror  have  been  beset  in 
the  heavy  drift-ice,  or  wrecked  among  it  and  the  bro- 
ken land,  which  in  all  probability  exists  there  while 
contending  with  the  prevalent  westerly  winds  in  thji 
quarter ; 


il 


266 


PU00UE&8    OF    AKCrriO   DISCOVEBt. 


'  fJ  i 


i 


I!    ' 


"  The  Coppermine  Kiver  would  decidedly  offer  the 
most  direct  route  and  nearest  approach  to  that  portion 
of  the  Polar  Sea,  and,  after  crossing  Coronation  Gulf, 
the  average  breadth  of  the  Strait  oetween  the  Conti 
nent  and  Victoria  Land  is  only  about  twenty-two  miles. 

"'  From  this  point  a  careful  search  should  be  com- 
menced in  the  direction  of  Banks'  Land  ;  the  interven- 
ing space  between  it  and  Victoria  Land,  occupying 
about  five  degrees,  or  little  more  than  300  miles,  could, 
I  think,  be  accomplished  in  one  season,  and  a  retreat  to 
winter  quarters  enected  before  the  winter  set  in.  As 
the  ice  m  the  Coppermine  lliver  breaks  up  in  June, 
the  searching  party  ought  to  reach  the  sea  by  the  be- 
ginning of  August,  which  would  leave  two  of  the  best 
months  of  the  year  for  exploring  the  Polar  Sea,  viz  ; 
August  and  September. 

"  As  it  would  be  highly  desirable  that  every  available 
day,  to  the  latest  period  of  the  season,  shoula  be  de- 
voted to  the  search,  I  should  propose  wintering  on  the 
coast  in  the  vicinity  of  the  mouth  of  the  Coppermine 
liiver,  which  would  also  afford  a  favorable  position 
from  which  to  recommence  the  search  in  the  following 
spring,  should  the  first  season  prove  unsuccessful. 

"  Of  course  the  object  of  such  an  expedition  as  I  have 
proposed  is  not  with  the  view  of  taking  supplies  to  such 
a  numerous  party  as  Sir  John  Franklin  has  under  his 
command  ;  but  to  find  out  his  position,  and  acquaint 
him  where  a  depot  of  provisions  would  be  stored  up 
for  himself  and  crews  at  my  proposed  winter  quarters, 
where  a  party  should  be  left  to  build  a  house,  establish 
a  fishery,  and  hunt  for  game,  during  the  absence  of  the 
Bearching  party. 

"  To  carrv  out  this  plan  efficiently,  the  Hudson's  Bay 
Company  snould  be  requested  to  lend  their  powerful 
'Cooperation  in  furnishing  guides,  supplies  of  pemmican, 
&c.,  for  the  party  on  their  route  and  at  winter  quarters. 
Without  entering  into  details  here,  I  may  observe,  that 
I  should  consider  one  boat,  combining  the  necessary 
requisites  in  her  construction  to  fit  her  for  either  the 
river  navigation,  or  that  of  the  shores  of  the  Polar  Sea, 


}: 


OPINIONS  AND  SDGOESTIONS. 


207 


Bay 
jrftil 
ican, 
ters. 
jthat 
|sary 
the 
ISea. 


would  be  quite  sufficient,  with  a  crew  one  half  sailora, 
and  the  other  half  Canadian  boatmen  ;  the  latter  to  l)e 
uugaged  at  Montreal,  for  which  place  I  would  propose 
leaving  England  in  the  month  ol  February. 

"  Should  Buch  an  expedition  even  fail  in  its  main  ob- 
ject —  the  discovery  of  the  position  of  the  missing  ships 
and  their  crews,  the  long-sought-for  polar  passage  may 
be  accomplished. 

(Signed,)  R  M'Cobmiok,  K.  N. 

<*  Woolwich,  1847." 


Copy  of  a  Letter  from  Lieutenant  Shera/rd  0  shorn  to 
the  Lords  Commissioners  of  the  Admiralty, 

"  Ealing,  Middlesex,  ^th  January,  1850. 

"  My  Lords, —  A  second  attempt  to  reach  Sir  John 
Franklin's  expedition  being  about  to  be  tried  during 
the  present  year,  I  take  the  liberty  of  calling  your  at- 
tention to  the  inclosed  proposition  for  an  overland  party 
to  be  dispatched  to  the  shores  of  the  Polar  Sea,  with  a 
view  to  their  traversing  the  short  distance  between  Cape 
Bathurst  and  Banks'  Land.  My  reasons  for  thus  tres- 
passing on  your  attention  are  as  follows  ; 

"  Ist.  General  opinion  places  the  lost  expedition  to 
the  west  of  Cape  Walker,  and  south  of  the  latitude  of 
Melville  Island. 

"  The  distance  from  Cape  Bathurst  to  Banks'  Land 
is  only  301  miles,  and  on  reference  to  a  chart  it  will  be 
seen  that  nowhere  else  does  the  American  continent 
approach  so  near  to  the  supposed  position  of  Franklin's 
expedition. 

"  2d.  As  a  starting  point,  Cape  Bathmrst  offers  great 
advantages  ;  the  arrival  of  a  party  sent  there  from 
England  may  be  calculated  upon  to  a  day ;  whereas 
the  arrival  of  Captain  CoUinson  in  the  longitude  of 
Cape  Barrow,  or  tliat  of  an  eastern  expedition  in  Lan- 
caster Sound,  will  depend  upon  many  uncontrollable 
contingencies.  The  distance  to  be  performed  is  com- 
paratively liftle,  and  the  certainty  of  being  able  to  fall 
back  upon  supplies  offers  great  advantages.    Captain 

17 


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I*      Mi 


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f  'r    ! 


.,  ' 


!      1 


2  48 


PBOOBBBS  OF  ABOHO  DIBOOYEBT. 


CoUinson  will  have  680  miles  of  longitude  to  traverM 
between  Cape  Barrow  and  Banks'  Land.  An  Eastern 
Expedition,  if  opposed  by  the  ice,  (as  Sir  James  Ross 
has  been,)  and  unable  to  proceed  in  their  vessels  farther 
than  Leopold  Harbor,  will  have  to  journey  on  foot  330 
miles  to  reach  the  longitude  of  Banks'  Land,  and  if 
any  accident  occur  to  tneir  vessels,  they  will  be  in  as 
critical  a  position  as  those  they  go  to  seek. 

"  3d.  Banks'  Land  bears  from  Cape  Bathurst  K.  41° 
49'  E.  302  miles,  and  there  is  reason  to  believe  that  in 
tlie  summer  season  a  portion  of  this  distance  may  be 
traversed  in  boats. 

*'  4th  and  5th.  Dr.  Richardson  confirms  previous  re- 
ports of  the  ice  being  light  on  the  coast  east  of  the 
Mackenzie  River  to  Cape  Bathurst,  and  informs  na 
that  the  Esquimaux  had  seen  no  ice  to  seaward  for  two 
moons. 

"  Gth.  Every  mile  traversed  northward  by  a  party 
from  Cape  Bathurst  would  be  over  that  uni.  lown  space 
in  which  traces  of  Franklin  may  be  expected. 

"  7th.  It  is  advisable  that  such  a  second  party  bo 
dispatched  from  Cape  Bathurst,  in  order  that  the  pros- 
ecution of  Dr.  Rae's  examination  of  the  supposed  chan- 
nel between  Wollaston  and  Victoria  Lands  may  in  no 
way  be  interfered  with  by  his  attention  being  called  to 
the  westward. 

"8th.  The  caches  of  provisions  made  at  different 
points  of  the  Mackenzie  and  at  Cape  Bathurst,  would 
enable  a  party  to  push  down  to  their  starting  point  with 
great  celerity  directly  the  River  Mackenzie  opens, 
which  may  be  as  early  as  May. 

"  I  would  also  remind  your  Lordships  that  the  pro- 
posed expedition  would  carry  into  execution  a  very  im- 
portant clause  in  the  instnictions  given  to  Sir  James 
Koss  ;  viz ;  that  of  sending  exploring  parties  from 
Banks'  Land  in  a  southwesterly  direction  toward  Cape 
Bathurst  or  Cape  Parry. 

"  In  conclusion,  I  beg  to  offer  my  willing  services  to* 
ward  the  execution  of  tne  proposed  plan  ;  amd  seeking 
it  from  no  selfish  motives,  but  thoroughly  impressed 


OPINIONS   AND  BUOOESTIONB. 


2<;9 


to 


'ape 

to« 
dug 
jsed 


with  its  feasibility,  you  may  rest  assured,  my  lords, 
should  I  have  the  honor  of  being  sent  upon  this  service, 
that  I  shall  not  disappoint  your  expectations. 
"I  have,  &c., 
(Signed,)  *^  Shesasd  Osbobn,  Lieut.,  R.  N." 


Copy  of  a  Letter  from  Colonel  Sabine^  B.  A.yto  Cap* 
tain  Sir  W.  Edward  Parry, 

"  Castle-down  Terrace^  JTastings^ 
"  l^th  of  January y  1850. 

**There  can  be  little  doubt,  I  imagine,  in  the  miad  of 
tny  one  who  has  read  attentively  Franklin's  instruc- 
tions, and,  (in  reference  to  them,)  your  description  of 
the  state  of  the  ice  and  of  the  navigable  water  in  1819 
and  1820,  in  the  route  which  he  was  ordered  to  pursue; 
still  less,  I  think,  can  there  be  a  doubt  in  the  mind  of 
any  one  who  had  the  advantage  of  being  with  you  in 
those  years,  that  Franklin,  (always  supposing  no  pre- 
vious aisaster,)  must  have  made  his  way  to  the  south- 
west part  of  Melville  Island  either  in  1845  or  1^46.  It 
has  been  said  that  1845  was  an  unfavorable  season,  and 
as  the  navigation  of  Davis'  Strait  and  Baffin's  Bay  was 
new  to  Franklin,  we  may  regard  it  as  more  prooablc 
that  it  may  have  taken  him  two  seasons  to  accomplish 
what  we  accomplished  in  one.  So  far,  I  think,  guided 
by  his  instructions  and  by  the  experience  gained  in 
1819  and  1820,  we  may  reckon  pretty  confidently  on 
the  first  stage  of  his  proceedings,  and  doubtless,  in  his 
progress  he  would  have  left  memorials  in  the  udual 
manner  p^  places  where  he  may  have  landed,  some  of 
which  wuuid  be  likely  to  fall  in  the  way  of  a  vessel  fol- 
lowing in  his  track.  From  the  west  end  of  Melville 
Island  our  inferences  as  to  his  further  proceedings  must 
become  more  conjectural,  being  contingent  on  thf ;  state 
of  the  ice  and  the  existence  of  navigaole  water  in  the 
particular  season.  K  he  found  the  ocean,  as  we  did, 
covered  to  the  west  and  south,  as  far  as  the  eye  could 
reach  from  the  summit  of  the  highest  hills,  with  ice  of 
« thickness  unparalleled  in  any  other  part  of  the  Polai 


270 


PE00RKS8   OF    AKOTIO    DI8C0VKRT. 


,M.    .1 


3iK  : 


mWf 


X  f.. 


I   I    i 
1   I 


Sea,  he  would,  after  probably  waiting  through  ooo  whole 
season  in  the  hope  of  some  favorable  change,  Iiavo  re- 
traced  his  Ateps,  in  obedience  to  the  second  part  of  hia 
instructions,  in  order  to  seek  an  opening  to  the  north 
which  might  conduct  to  a  more  02)eu  sea.  In  this  case 
some  memorial  of  the  season  passed  by  him  at  the 
southwest  end  of  Melville  Island,  and  also  of  his  pur 
pose  of  retracing  his  stops,  woidd  doubtless  have  been 
left  by  him  ;  and  shoula  he  subsequently  have  found 
m  opening  to  the  north,  presenting  a  favorable  appear- 
ance, there  also,  should  circumstances  have  permitted, 
wo'dd  a  memorial  have  been  left. 

"  lie  may,  however,  have  found  a  more  favorable 
state  of  things  at  the  southwest  end  of  Melville  Island 
than  we  did,  and  may  have  been  led  thereby  to  at- 
tempt to  force  a  passage  for  his  ships  in  the  direct  lin^ 
f  Behring's  Strait,  or  perhaps,  in  the  first  'ustanee,  tc 


i» 


the  south  of  that  direction,  namely,  to  Banks'  Lund 
in  such  case  two  contingencies  present  themselves 
lirst,  that  in  the  season  of  navigation  of  1847  he  may 
have  made  so  much  progress,  that  in  1848  he  may  liavi- 
[•referred  the  endeavor  to  push  through  to  Behriii<;\ 
otrait,  or  to  some  western  part  of  the  continent,  to  an 
attempt  to  return  by  the  way  of  Barrow's  Strait ;  tlio 
niission  of  the  Plover,  the  Enterprise,  and  tlie  lnve?.- 
tigator  together  with  Dr.  Rae's  expedition,  supjtlv,  1 
presume,  (for  I  am  but  partially  acquainted  with  titeir 
instructions,)  the  most  judicious  means  of  affording  re- 
lief in  this  direction.  There  is,  however,  a  second  con- 
tingency ;  and  it  is  the  one  which  the  impression  left 
on  my  mind  by  the  nature  and  geneial  asjjcct  of  the 
ice  in  the  twelve  months  which  we  ourselves  passed  at 
the  southwest  end  of  Melville  Island,  compels  nie,  in 
spite  of  my  wishes,  to  regard  as  the  more  probable, 
viz.,  that  his  advance  from  Melville  Island  in  the  sea 
son  of  1847  may  have  been  limited  to  a  distance  of 
fifty,  or  perhaps  one  hundred  miles  at  farthest,  and 
that  in  1848  he  may  have  endeavored  to  retrace  his 
steps,  but  only  with  partial  success.  It  is,  I  apprehend, 
quite  a  conceivable  case,  thatundor  these  circumstances. 


0PINT0N8   AND  BUOOE81IONB. 


272 


ail 


?i't 

the 

at 

ii) 

[lt3, 

of 


incapable  of  extricating  the  ships  from  the  fee,  the 
crews  may  have  been,  at  length,  obliged  to  quit  tliem, 
and  attempt  a  retreat,  not  toward  the  continent,  because 
too  distant,  but  to  Melville  Island,  whore  certainly 
food,  and  probably  fuel  (seals,)  might  be  obtained,  and 
where  they  would  naturally  suppose  that  vessels  dis- 
patched from  England  for  their  relief  would,  in  the 
iirst  instance,  seek  them.  It  is  quite  conceivable  also, 
I  aj)prehend,  that  the  circumstances  might  be  such 
that  their  retreat  may  have  been  made  without  their 
boats,  and  probably  in  the  April  or  May  of  1849 

''Wiierethe  Esquimaux  have  lived,  there  Engli8>imen 
may  livg,  and  no  valid  argument  against  the  attempt 
to  relieve  can,  I  think,  be  founded  on  the  improbability 
of  finding  Englishmen  alive  in  1850,  who  may  have 
made  a  retreat  to  Melville  Island  in  the  spring  of  1849  ; 
nor  would  the  view  of  the  case  be  altered  in  any  ma- 
terial degree,  if  we  suppose  their  retreat  to  have  been 
made  in  1848  or  1849  to  Banks'  Land,  which  rnay 
afford  facilities  of  food  and  fuel  equal  or  superior  to 
Melville  Island,  and  a  further  retreat  iu  the  following 
year  to  the  latter  island  as  the  point  at  which  ibey 
would  more  probably  look  out  for  succor. 

"  Without  disparagement,  therefore,  to  the  attempts 
made  in  other  directions,  I  retain  my  original  opinion, 
which  seems  also  to  have  been  the  opinion -of  the 
Board  of  Admiralty,  by  which  Boss's  instructions  were 
drawn  up,  that  the  most  promising  direction  for  re.- 
search  would  be  taken  by  a  vessel  which  should  follow 
them  to  the  southwest  point  of  Melville  Island,  be  pre- 
pared to  winter  there,  and,  if  necessary,  to  send  a 
party  across  the  ice  in  April  or  May  to  examine  Banks' 
Land,  a  distance  (there  and  back)  less  than  recently 
accomplished  by  Ross  in  his  land  journey. 

"I  learn  from  Boss's  dispatches,  that  almost  imme- 
diately after  he  got  out  of  Port  Leopold  (1849,)  he  was 
entangled  in  apparently  interminable  fields  and  floes 
of  ice,  with  which,  in  the  course  of  the  summer,  he 
was  drifted  down  through  Barrow's  Strait  and  Baffin's 
Bay  nearly  to  Davis'  Strait.    It  is  reasonable  to  pre- 


i  'M-,  j- 


hfji' 


%^: :  i 


ti). 


i 


I' 


272 


riiOGlUiSa   oF   AUUTIC    DlbGOViillT. 


Bume,  tlkcrefore,  that  the  localities  fron.  whence  this 
ice  drifted  are  likely  to  be  less  encumbered  than  nsnal 
by  accumulated  ice  in  1850.  It  is,  of  course,  of  the 
highest  impox'*"<'-nce  to  reach  BavTow's  Strait  at  the  ear- 
liest possible  period  of  the  season ;  and,  connected  with 
this  point  I  learn  from  Captain  Bird,  whom  I  had  the 
pleasure  of  seeing  here  a  few  days  ago,  a  very  remark- 
able fact,  that  the  ice  which  prevented  tlieir  cros^iing 
Baffin's  Bay  in  72°  or  73°  of  latitude  (as  we  did  in 
1819,  arriving  in  Barrow's  Strait  a  month  earlier  than 
we  had  done  the  preceding  year,  when  we  went  round 
by  Melville  Bay,  and  nearly  a  month  earlier  tlian  Boss 
did  last  year)  was  young  ice,  which  had  formed  in  the 
remarkably  calm  summer  of  last  year,  and  which  the 
absence  of  wind  prevented  thair  forcing  a  passage 
through,  on  the  one  hand,  while  on  the  other,  the  ice 
was  not  heavy  enough  for  ice  anchors.  It  was,  he  said, 
not  more  than  two  or  two  and  a  half  feet  thick,  and  ob 
viously  of  very  recent  formatio*!.  There  must,  there- 
fore, have  been  an  earlier  p  )riod  of  the  season  when 
this  part  of  the  sea  must  have  been  free  from  ice;  and 
this  comes  in  confirmation  of  a  circumstance  of  which 
I  was  informed  by  Mr.  Petersen  (a  Danish  gentleman 
sent  to  England  some  months  ago  by  the  Northern  So- 
ciety of  Antiquavies  of  Copenhagen,  to  make  extracts 
from  b^oks  and  manuscripts  in  the  British  Museum,) 
that  the  Northmen,  who  had  settlements  some  centu- 
ries ago  on  the  west  coast  of  Greenland,  were  in  the 
habit  of  crossing.  Baffin's  Bay  in  the  latitude  of  Uper- 
aavic  in  the  spring  of  the  year,  for  the  purpose  of  fish- 
ing in  Barrow's  Strait,  from  whence  they  returned  in 
August;  and  that  in  the  early  months  they  generally 
found  the  passage  across  free  from  ice. 

"  In  the  preceding  i-emarks,  I  have  left  one  contin- 

fjency  uncoi^sidered  ;  it  is  that  which  would  have  fol- 
owed  in  pursuance  of  his  instructions,  if  Franklin  should 
liave  found  the  aspect  of  the  ice  too  unfavorable  to  tlie 
west  and  south  of  Melville  Island  to  attempt  to  force  a 
passage  through  it,  and  shor.ld  have  retraced  his  stej^ 
(n  hopes  of  finding  ^  wore  open  sea  to  the  northward, 


Hi 


OPINIONS  AND  SUGGESTIONS. 


273 


♦ntlier  in  Wellington  Strait  or  elsewhere.  It  is  quite 
conceivable  tliat  here  also  the  expedition  may  have  en« 
r.oiintered,  at  no  very  great  distance,  insnpei'able  diffi- 
culties to  their  advance,  and  may  have  failed  in  accom- 
plishing a  retnrn  with  their  ships.  In  this  case,  the 
retreat  of  the  crews,  supposing  it  to  have  been  made 
across  land  or  ice,  would  most  probably  lie  directed  to 
some  part  of  the  coast  on  the  route  to  Melville  Island, 
on  which  route  they  would,  without  doubt,  expect  that 
succor  would  be  attempted." 

Mr.  Robert  A.  Goodsir,  a  brother  of  Mr.  II.  D.  Good 
sir,  the  assistant-surgeon  of  Sir  Jo'ni  Franklin's  ship, 
the  Ertbus,  left  Stromness,  as  surgeon  of  the  Advice, 
whaler,  Capt.  Penny,  on  the  17th  of  March,  1849,  in 
the  hopes  of  gaining  some  tidings  of  his  brother ;  but 
returned  unsuccessful  after  an  eight  months'  voyage, 
lie  has,  however,  published  a  very  interesting  little 
nai-rative  of  the  icy  regions  and  of  his  arctic  voyage. 

In  a  letter  to  Lady  Franklin,  dated  Edinburgh,  18th 
of  January,  1850,  he  says  : — "  I  trust  you  are  not  allow- 
ing yourself  to  become  over-anxious.  I  know  that, 
although  there  is  much  cause  to  be  so,  there  is  still  not 
the  slightest  reason  that  we  should  despair.  It  may  be 
presumptuous  in  me  to  say  so,  but  I  have  never  for  a 
moment  doubted  as  to  their  ultimate  safe  return,  having 
always  had  a  sort  of  presentiment  that  I  would  meet  my 
l)rc»ther  and  his  companions  somewhere  in  the  regions 
in  which  their  adventures  are  taking  place.  This  liope 
I  have  not  yet  given  up,  and  I  trust  ^..at  by  iicxt  sum- 
mer it  may  be  fullilled,  when  an  end  will  be  put  to  the 
puspense  whicli  has  lasted  so  long,  and  which  must  have 
tried  you  so  much."  , 

The  arctic  regions,  fai-  from  being  so  destitute  of  ani- 
mal life  as  might  be  sup])o.,ed  from  the  bleak  and  inhos- 
pital)lo  r-liaractiM-  of  the  climate,  are  proverbial  for  the 
ooundloss  ])rofusion  of  varior.s  species  of  the  animal 
kinu'dom,  which  are  to  be  met  with  in  different  locali- 
ties (luring  a  great  part  of  the  year. 

The  air  is  <^thn  darkened  by  innumerable  flocks  of 
arctic  ari'l  h\m}.  gulls,  {LestrU  raraHiUcm^^  and  Laru% 


, 


';    I- 


In;  I 


''!; 


ST4 


PKOORKSS   OF  ARCTIC   DISCOVERT. 


glaucus^)  the  ivory  gull  or  snow-bird,  {Zarus  eburneuk ) 
the  ki  tiwake,  the  nilmar  or  petrel,  snow  geese,  terns, 
coons,  dovekies,  &c.  The  cetaceous  animals  comprise 
the  great  GreeHland  whale,  {Balmna  mysticetus^)  the 
sea  unicorn  or  narwhal,  {Monodon  monoceros^  the 
white  whale  or  beluga,  {Deljphinus  Uucos^  the  morse 
or  walrus,  {Trioheous  rosmarus^  and  the  seal.  There 
are  also  plenty  of  porpoises  occasionally  to  be  met  with, 
and  although  these  animals  may  not  be  the  best  of  food, 
yet  they  can  be  eaten.  Of  the  land  animals  I  may  in- 
stance the  polar  bear,  the  musk-ox,  the  reindeer,  the 
arctic  fox  and  wolves. 

Parry  obtained  nearly  40001b8.  weight  of  animal  food 
during  his  winter  residence  at  Melville  Island ;  Ross 
nearly  the  same  quantity  from  birds  alone  when  winter- 
ing at  Port  Leopold. 

in  1719,  the  crews  of  two  Hudson's  Bay  vessels,  the 
Albany  and  Discovery,  a  ship  and  sloop,  under  the 
command  of  Mr.  Barlow  and  Mr.  Knight,  were  cast  on 
shore  on  Marble  Island,  and  it  was  subsequently  ascer- 
tained that  some  of  the  party  supported  life  for  nearly 
three  years.  Mr.  Hearne"  learned  the  particulars  from 
some  of  the  Esquimaux  in  1729.  The  ship  it  appeared 
went  on  shore  in  the  fall  of  1719 ;  the  party  being  then 
in  number  about  fitly,  began  to  build  their  house  for 
the  winter.  As  soon  as  the  ice  permitted  in  the  follow- 
ing summer  the  Esquimaux  paid  them  another  visit,  and 
found  the  number  of  sailors  much  reduced,  and  very 
unhealthy. 

Sickness  and  famine  occasioned  such  havoc  among 
them  that  by  the  setting  in  of  the  second  winter,  theii 
number  was  reduced  to  twenty.  Some  of  the  Esqui- 
maux took  up  their  abode  at  this  period  on  the  opjusit* 
side  of  the  harbor,  and  supplied  them  with  what  provi» 
ions  they  could  spare  in  the  shape  of  blubber,  8eal> 
flesh,  and  train  oil. 

The  Esquimaux  left  for  their  wanderings  in  the 
spring,  and  on  revisiting  the  island  in  the  summer  of 
1721,  only  five  of  the  crews  wore  found  alive,  and  these 
were  so  ravenous  for  food,  that  they  devoured  the  blub- 


wmitmamtnamrnna 


ABUNDANCE   OF    ANIMAL   FOOD   MET    WITH. 


275 


J 


ber  and  8ear«  flesh  raw,  as  thej  purchased  it  of  the 
natives,  which  proved  so  injiiriouo  in  their  weak  stale, 
that  thi'ee  of  them  died  in  a  few  days.  Tlie  two  sur- 
vivors, though  very  weak,  managed  to  bury  their  com- 
rades, and  protracted  their  existence  for  some  days 
longer. 

"They  frequently,"  in  the  words  of  the  narrative, 
'went  to  the  top  of  an  adjacent  rock,  and  earnestly 
looked  to  the  south  and  east,  as  if  in  expectation  of  some 
vessels  coming  to  their  relief.  After  continuing  there 
a  considerable  time,  and  nothing  appearing  in  sight, 
they  sat  down  close  together,  and  wept  bitterly.  At 
length  one  of  the  two  died,  and  the  other's  strength  was 
so  far  exhausted,  that  he  fell  down  and  died  also  in 
attempting  to  dig  a  grave  for  his  companion,  Tlie  skulls 
jmd  other  large  bones  of  these  two  men  are  now  lying 
abt)ve  ground  close  to  the  house." 

Sir  jolm  Richardson,  speaking  of  the  amount  of  food 
to  be  obtained  in  the  polar  region,  says,  "Deer  migivite 
over  the  ice  in  the  spring  from  the  main  shore  to  v  ic- 
toria  and  Wollaston  Lands  in  large  herds,  and  return  in 
the  autumn.  These  lands  are  also  the  breeding  places 
of  vast  flocks  of  snow  geese ;  so  that  with  ordinary 
skill  in  hunting,  a  large  supply  of  food  might  be  pro- 
cured on  their  shores,  m  the  months  of  June,  July,  and 
August.  Seals  are  also  numerous  in  those  seas,  and 
are  easily  shot,  their  curiosity  rendering  them  a  ready 
prey  to  a  boat  party."  In  these  ways  and  by  fishing, 
the  stock  of  provisions  might  be  greatly  augmented  — 
and  we  have  the  recent  example  of  Mr.  Rae,  who 
passed  a  severe  winter  on  the  very  barren  shores  of 
Repulse  Bay,  with  no  other  fuel  than  the  withered  tufts 
of  a  herbaceous  andromada,  and  maintained  a  numer- 
ous party  on  the  spoils  of  the  chase  alone  for  a  whole 
year.  Such  instances,  forbid  us  to  lose  hope.  Should 
Sir  John  Franklin's  provisions  become  so  far  inade- 
quate to  a  winter's  consumption,  it  is  not  likely  that  he 
would  remain  longer  by  his  ships,  but  rather  that  in 
one  body,  or  in  several,  the  officers  and  crews,  with 
boats  cut  down  so  as  to  be  light  enough  to  drag  over 


276 


PROGRESS   OF   ARCTIC   DI8CCVEEY. 


H; 


IK 


'  1  ■  '■ 


hf.\   ''i 


¥<■  ' 


Ri 


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:       11 

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, 

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m  ^  : 

the  ice,  or  built  expressly  for  that  purpose,  would  eii« 
deavor  to  make  their  way  eastward  to  Lancaster  Sound, 
or  southward  to  the  main-land,  according  to  the  longi- 
tude  in  which  the  ships  were  arrested. 

"We  ought  not  to  judge  of  the  supplies  of  food  that 
can  be  procured  in  the  arctic  regions  by  diligent  hunt- 
ing, from  the  quantities  that  have  been  actually  ob- 
tained on  the  several  expeditions  that  have  returnei, 
and  consequently  of  the  means  of  preserving  life  there 
When  there  was  abundance  in  the  ships,  3ie  address 
and  energy  of  the  hunting  parties  was  not  likely  to  be 
called  forth,  as  they  would  inevitably  be  whei)  the  exis- 
tence of  the  crews  depended  solely  on  their  personal 
efforts,  and  formed  their  chief  or  only  object  in  their 
march  toward  quarters  where  relief  might  be  looked 
for.  This  remark  has  reference  to  the  supposition  that 
on  tiie  failure  of  the  stock  of  provisions  in  the  ships, 
the  crews  would,  in  separate  parties  under  their  officers, 
seek  for  succor  in  several  directions. 

With  an  empty  stomach,  the  power  of  resisting  exter- 
nal cold  is  greatly  impaired  ;  but  when  the  process  of 
digesting  is  going  on  vigorously,  even  with  compara- 
tively scanty  clothing,  the  Jieat  of  the  body  is  preserved. 
There  is  in  the  winter  time,  in  high  latitudes,  a  craving 
for  fat  or  oleaginous  food,  and  lor  such  occasiens  the 
flesh  of  seals,  walruses,  or  bears,  forms  a  useful  article 
of  diet.  Captain  Cook  says  that  the  walrus  is  a  sweet 
and  wholesome  article  of  food.  Whales  and  seals  would 
also  furnish  light  and  fuel.  The  necessity  for  increased 
food  in  very  cold  weather,  ib  not  so  great  when  the 
people  do  not  work. 

Mr.  Gilpin,  in  his  narrative  in  the  Ni.utical  Maga- 
zine for  March,  1850,  writes  thus  :  — 

**  About  the  20th  of  June  a  small  wr.ter  bird,  calved 
the  doveky,  had  become  so  numerous,  and  so  many 
were  daily  shot  by  those  who  troubled  themselves  to  go 
after  them,  that  shooting  parties  from  each  ship,  con- 
sisting of  an  office'  and  marine,  were  established  a* 
Whaler  Point,  where  they  romained  the  whole  week, 
returmng  on  board  on  Saturday  night.     In  a  week  or 


'■'^-  'liU^i^i<l'ilJ»* 


ABUNDANCE  OP  ANT^klAL  FOOT)  MET  WITH. 


277 


go  after  this  the  coon,  a  much  heavier  hird,  became 
more  plentiful  than  the  little  doveky,  and  from  thia 
time  to  the  middle  of  August,  so  successful  and  un- 
tiring were  our  sportsmen,  that  the  crew  received 
each  a  bird  per  man  a  day. 

"The  account  kept  on  board  the  Investigator  showed 
the  number  of  birds  killed  to  have  amounted  to  about 
4000,  and  yielding  near2500lbs.  of  meat.  But  more 
than  this  was  obtained,  as  many  were  shot  by  indi- 
viduals for  amusement,  and  not  always  noted." 

Mr.  Goodsir,  surgeon,  when  in  the  Advice  whaler,  on 
her  voyage  up  Lancaster  Sound,  in  the  summer  of  1849, 
speaking  of  landing  on  one  of  the  Wollaston  Islands,  on 
the  west  side  of  Navy  Board  Inlet,  says  he  disturbed 
about  half  a  dozen  pairs  of  eider-duck  {Somatcria 
mollissirria.)  Their  eggs  he  found  to  be  within  a  few 
hours  of  maturity,  lucre  were,  besides,  numerous 
m»sts,  the  occupants  of  which  had  probal)ly  winged 
their  way  southward.  Two  brent  geese, (^^t«<s?'  beriiida) 
and  a  single  pair  of  arctic  terns,  {Sterna  arctica^ 
were  most  vociferous  and  courageous  in  defence  of 
their  downy  offspring  wherever  he  approached.  The8( 
were  the  only  birds  he  saw,  witli  the  exception  of  a 
lolitary  raven,  {Corvus  coi^ax^  not  very  liigh  over- 
head, whose  sharp  and  yet  musically  bell-like  croak 
came  startling  upon  the  ear. 

Mr.  Snow,  in  his  account  of  the  voyage  of  the  Prince 
Albert,  p.  102,  says,  (speaking  of  Melville  Bay,  at  the 
northen  head  of  Ballin  s  Bay,)  "Innumerable  quanti 
ties  of  birds,  especially  the  little  auk,  {Alca  alle^)  aad 
the  dovoky,  {Colymhics  gryllcy)  were  now  seen,  (Au- 
gust 6th,)  in  every  direction.  They  were  to  be  ob 
bC'ved  in  thousands,  on  the  wing  and  in  the  water, 
ana  often  on  pieces  of  ice,  where  they  wore  clustered 
togetner  so  thick  tiiiit  scores  might  have  been  shot  at 
4  t'v    e  by  two  or  tliree  fowling  pieces." 

Til  passing  up  Lancaster  Sound  a  fortnight  later  sev- 
ijral  Bnoai  of  eider-ducks  and  large  quantities  of  r>the' 
bi  ^)&  were  also  ueeu. 


S78 


I       ! 


I 
I) 


PKO(VRE88   OP   ARCTIC   DISOOVEBT. 


A  BALLAD  OF  SIR  JOHN  FRANKL» 

**  The  ice  was  here,  the  ice  wu  there, 
The  ice  was  all  around."  —  Colkbumib. 

Writhkb  sail  you,  Sir  John  Franklin  T 

Cried  a  whaler  in  Baflin'a  Bay  ; 
To  know  if  between  the  land  and  the  Po]0, 

I  may  find  a  broad  sea*way. 

I  charge  you  back.  Sir  John  Fnnklin, 

A»  you  would  live  and  thrive. 
For  between  tlie  land  and  the  froxen  Pole 

No  man  may  sail  alive. 

But  lightly  laughed  the  Rtout  Sir  John, 

And  spoke  unto  his  men  :  — 
Half  England  is  wrong,  if  he  is  right , 

Bear  off  to  westward  then. 

O,  whither  sail  you,  brave  Englishman  ? 

Cried  the  little  Esquimaux. 
Between  your  land  and  the  polar  star 

My  goodly  vessels  go. 

Come  down,  if  you  would  journey  there^ 

The  little  Indian  said  ; 
And  change  your  cloth  for  fur  clothing. 

Your  vessel  for  a  sled. 

But  lightly  laughed  the  stout  Sir  John, 
And  the  crew  laughed  with  him  too  ; 

A  sailor  to  change  from  ship  to  sled, 
I  ween,  were  something  new  I 

All  through  the  long,  long  polar  day, 

The  vessels  westward  sped  ; 
And  wherever  tho  sail  of  Sir  John  wa*  Moxij^, 

The  ice  gave  way  and  fled. 

Gave  way  with  many  a  hollow  groan. 

And  with  many  a  surly  roar; 
But  it  nuirnuirud  and  threatened  on  orery  udc 

And  closed  where  he  sailed  hofor*. 

Hoi  see  ye  not  my  merry  man. 

The  broad  and  open  sfei  ? 
Bethink  ye  what  tlie  whaler  said, 
Bethink  ye  of  the  little  Indian's  sled  I 
The  crew  laughed  out  in  glee. 

Sir  John,  Sir  John,  't  is  bitter  cold, 

The  scud  drives  on  the  breeze. 
The  ice  comes  looming  from  the  north. 

The  very  sunbeams  freeze. 

Bright  L^'Mimer  goes,  dark  winter  comae—* 

We  cannot  rule  the  year; 
Bat  long  ere  summer's  sun  goes  dowi^ 

Oi.  yonder  sea  we'll  steer. 


i0 

ir 


A    BALLAD   OF   SIR   JOHN    FRANKI.IN. 


2T» 


TLe  dripping  icebergs  dipped  and  roee^ 

And  floundered  down  the  gale  ; 
The  ship  were  staid,  the  yards  wore  m<*nq#4^ 

And  furled  Uie  useless  salL 

The  Bummer  'b  gone,  the  winter 's  oonM^ 

We  Bail  not  #n  yonder  sea ; 
Why  Bail  we  not.  Sir  John  Franklin  t 

—  A  ailent  man  was  he. 

The  winter  goes,  the  summer  oomei^ 

We  cannot  rule  the  year ; 
I  ween,  we  cannot  rule  the  waya^ 

Sir  John,  wherein  we  'd  steer. 

The  cruel  ice  came  floating  on. 

And  closed  beneath  the  lee. 
Till  the  thicketiing  waters  dashed  no  11101% 
*Twa8  ice  around,  behind,  before— 

H}  Qod  1  there  is  no  sea  I 

What  th'nk  vou  of  the  whaler  now  I 

What  of  the  Esquimaux  ? 
A  Bled  were  better  than  a  ship, 

To  cruise  through  ice  and  snow. 

Down  sank  the  baleful  crimson  sun  ; 

The  northern-light  came  out, 
And  glared  upon  the  ice-bound  Bhip% 

And  shook  its  spears  about 

The  snow  came  down,  storm  breeding  skMW^ 

And  on  the  decks  was  laid  ; 
Till  the  weary  sailor,  sick  at  heart. 

Sank  down  beside  his  spade. 

Sir  John,  the  night  is  black  and  lon|^ 

The  hissing  wind  is  bleak  ; 
The  hard,  green  ice  is  strong  as  death  : 

I  prithee,  captain,  speak. 

The  night  is  neither  bright  nor  ihoil^ 

The  singing  breeze  is  cold. 
The  ice  is  not  so  strong  as  hope^ 

The  heart  of  man  is  bold  t 

What  hope  can  scale  this  ioy  wall. 

High  o'er  the  main  flag-stafT? 
Above  the  ridges  the  wolf  and  b««r 
Look  down  with  a  patient,  settled  star«'» 

Look  down  on  us  and  Uugh. 

The  summer  went,  the  winter  eamo— 

We  could  not  rule  the  year  ; 
But  Bumraer  will  melt  the  ice  agiun, 
And  open  a  path  to  tho  sunny  main, 

Wherx>t  aur  flhips  shall  stee^ 


I    ;■*-' 


P'l 


880  moouKss  of  arctic  discovert. 

The  winter  went,  the  summer  went^ 

The  winter  came  around  ; 
But  the  hard,  green  ice  was  strone^  as  deat^ 
And  the  voice  of  hope  sank  to  a  breath. 

Yet  caught  at  every  sound. 

Hark  I  heard  you  not  the  sound  of  guna  1 
And  there,  and  tliere  again  ? 

•T  is  some  uneasy  iceberg's  roar. 
As  he  turns  in  the  frozen  main. 

Hurra !  hurra  1  the  Esquimaux 

Across  the  ice-fields  steal : 
€k)d  give  them  grace  fur  their  charilj  I 

Ye  pray  for  the  silly  seal 

Sir  John,  whore  are  the  English  field% 
And  where  the  English  trees, 

And  where  are  the  liftle  English  flowers, 
That  open  in  the  breeze  ? 

Be  still,  be  still,  my  brave  sailon  I 
You  shall  see  the  fields  again, 

And  smell  the  scent  of  the  opening  flowaoi 
The  grass,  and  the  waving  grain. 

Oh  I  when  shall  I  see  my  orphan  child  t 

My  Mary  waits  for  me  ; 
Oh  1  when  shall  I  see  my  old  mother, 

And  pray  at  her  trembling  knee  f 

Be  still,  be  still,  my  brave  sailora  ! 

Think  not  such  thoughts  again  I 
But  a  tear  froze  slowly  on  his  cheek  — 

He  thought  of  Lady  Jana 

Ah  !  bitter,  bitter  grows  the  cold. 
The  ice  grows  more  and  more  ; 

More  settled  stare  the  wolf  and  bear. 
More  patient  than  beforeu 

Oh  1  think  you,  good  Sir  John  FranUin^ 

We  '11  ever  see  the  land  ? 
*T  was  cniel  to  send  us  here  to  itarrc^ 

Without  a  helping  hand. 

^T  was  cruel,  Sir  John,  to  send  us  hers^ 

So  far  from  help  or  home ; 
To  starve  and  freeze  on  this  lonely  sea ; 
I  ween,  the  Lords  of  the  Admiralty 

Had  rather  send  than  coma 

Oh  I  whether  we  starve  to  death  alone^ 

Or  sail  to  our  own  country. 
We  have  done  what  man  has  never  dons  — 
The  open  ocean  danced  in  the  sim  — 

We  passed  the  Northern  Se^  I 


THE  SEARCHING   EXPEDITIONS. 


281 


The  Government  and  Private  Searchiwo  Expeditions 
AFTER  Sir  John  Franklin. 

The  following  is  a  complete  list  of  the  several  relief 
and  exploring  vessels  which  have  been  sent  out  during 
the  last  two  years  by  the  British  government,  by  private 
individuals,  and  by  the  Amorican  nation : — 


Coiumandera. 

Capt.  Collinsoii. 
Cora.  M'Clure. 
Cora.  Moore. 
Capt.  H.  Austin. 
Capt.  E.  Ommaney. 


Ships.  Men 

1   II.  M.  S.  Enterprise    -    -  68 

2.  H.  M.  S.  Investigator  -    •  65 

3.  H.  M.  S.  Plover     -    -    -  62 

4.  H.  M.  S.  Resolute  -    -    -  68 

5.  H.  M.  S.  Assistance   -    •  60 

6.  H.  M.  S.  Intrepid,  (screw 

steamer,) 

7.  II.  M.  S.  Intrepid,  (screw 

steamer,)      -----    -   38 

8.  The  Lady  Franklin    -    -   25 

9.  The  Sophia,  (a  .tender  to 

the  above,) 22 

10.  United   States  brig  Ad- 

vance -----   20 

11.  United  States  vessel  Res- 
cue -    •         -    -   18 

12.  Felix  yacht  -         -    - 

13.  Mary,  (tender  to  the  Felix.) 

14.  The  North  Star,  Master  and  Commander  Saunders. 

15.  The  Prince  Albert      -    -   18     Com.  Forsyth.' 

Of  these  vessels  the  Enterprise,  Investigator,  and 
Plover,  are  at  present  engaged  on  the  western  branch 
of  search  through  Behring's  Straits.  The  rest  have  all 
proceeded  through  Baffin's  Bay  to  Lancaster  Sound,  and 
the  channels  branching  out  frora  thence,  except  the  last 
two,  wliich  have  returned  home. 

Voyage   of   the   "Enterprise"  and   "Investigator" 
under  Captain  Sir  James  C.  Ross,  1848-49. 

In  the  spring  of  1848,  Captain  Sir  James  C.  Ross 
was  ])laced  in  command  of  a  well  found  and  fitted  ex- 
pedition, with  means  and  advantages  of  unusual  extent. 


30    Lieut.  S.  Osborn. 

Lieut.  Cator. 
Mr.  Penny. 

Mr.  Stewart. 

Lieut.  De  Haven. 

Mr.  S.  P.  Griffin. 
Capt.  Sir  John  Ross. 


282 


PR00KE8S   OF   AltOTIO  DISOOTEST. 


|i  ii 


^1 


iii 


and  with  an  object  that  could  not  fail  to  stimulate  in 
the  hiffhest  degree  the  energies  and  perseverance  of  all 
embarked  in  it.  With  the  ever  present  feeling,  too,  that 
the  lives  of  their  countrymen  and  brother  sailors  de- 
pended, (under  God's  good  providence,)  upon  their 
unflinching  exertions,  Captain  Eoss  and  his  followers 
went  forth  in  the  confident  £ope  that  their  efforts  might 
be  crowned  with  success. 

The  season  was  considerably  advanced  before  tie 
whole  of  the  arrangements  were  completed,  for  it  was 
not  until  the  12th  or  June,  1848,  that  Captain  Ross  left 
England,  having  under  his  charge  the  Enterprise  and 
Investigator,  with  the  following  officers  and  crews : — 

Enterprise^  640  tans. 

Captain — Sir  James  0.  Boss. 

Lieutenants  —  R.  J.  L.  M'Olure,  P.  L.  HcCUntocki 

and  W.  H.  J.  Browne. 
Master  —  W.  S.  Couldery,  (actingj 
Surgeon  —  "W.  Robertson,  (J)  M.  ji. 
Assistant-Surgeon  —  H.  Matthias. 
Clerk  —  Edward  Whitehead. 

Total  complement,  68, 

.Iwoestigator^  480  tons* 
Cftptam  —  E.  J.  Bird. 
Lieutenants  ~-M.  G.  H.  W.  Roes,  Frederick  Robiiuoo 

and  J.  J.  Bamavd. 
Master — W.  Tatham. 
Surgeon  —  Robert  Anderson. 
Mates  —  L.  J.  Moore  and  S.  G.  CresBweU. 
Second  Master  —  John  H.  Allard. 
Assistant-Surgeon  —  E.  Adams. 
Gerk  in  Charge  —  James  D.  Gilpin. 
Total  complement,  67. 

Tlie  ships  reached  the  Danish  settlement  of  Upper- 
navick,  situated  on  one  of  the  group  of  Woman's  Islands 
on  the  western  shore  of  Baffin's  Bay,  on  the  6th  of 
July     Running  tliron^h  this  intricate  archipelago,  thev 


V01AOK   OF   ENTERPKISE    AND    INVl.STlGATOR 


283 


were  made  fast,  on  the  20th,  to  an  iceberg  aground  off 
Cape  Shackleton.  The  ships  were  towed,  during  the 
next  few  days,  through  loose  streams  of  ice,  and  on  the 
morning  of  the  2Gt}i  were  oft'  the  three  islands  of  BatHn 
in  latitude  74°  N.  Calms  and  light  winds  so  greatly 
impeded  any  movement  in  the  pack,  that  day  aftei 
day  passed  away  until  the  season  had  so  far  advanced 
as  to  preclude  every  hope  of  accomplishing  much,  if 
any  thing,  before  the  setting  in  of  winter. 

No  exertions, however,  were  spared  to  take  advantage 
of  every  opportunity  of  pushing  forward,  until,  on  the 
20th  of  August,  during  a  heavy  breeze  from  the  north- 
east, the  ships  under  all  sail  bored  through  a  pack  of  ice 
of  but  moderate  thickness,  but  having  among  it  lieavy 
masses,  througli  which  it  was  necessary  to  dri?e  them  at 
aH  hazards.  The  shocks  the  ships  sustained  during  this 
severe  trial  were  great,  but  fortunately  without  serious 
damage  to  them.  Getting  into  clear  water  in  lat.  75  h  N., 
and  long.  68°  "W.,  on  the  23d  the  ships  stood  in  to 
Pond's  Bay,  but  no  traces  of  Esquimaux  or  other  human 
beings  were  discovered,  although  signals  were  made  and 
guns  fired  at  repeated  intervals.  TThe  ships  were  kept 
close  to  the  land,  and  a  rigid  examination  made  of  the 
coast  to  the  northward,  so  that  neither  people  nor  boats 
could  have  passed  without  being  seen.  On  the  26th 
the  ships  arrived  oft*  Possession  Bay,  and  a  party  was 
sent  on  shore  to  search  for  &ny  traces  of  the  expedition 
having  touched  at  this  general  point  of  rendezvous. 
Nothing  was  found  but  the  paper  left  there  recording 
the  visit  of  Sir  Edward  Parry,  on  the  very  day  (August 
80th)  in  1819.  From  this  point  the  examination  of  the 
coast  was  continued  with  equal  care.  On  the  Ist  of 
September  they  arrived  off'  Cape  York,  and  a  boat's 
crew  was  sent  on  shore,  to  fix  a  conspicuous  mark,  and 
leave  information  for  the  guidance  of  any  ftiture  party 
that  might  touch  here. 

I  shaD  now  take  ^/p  the  narrative  in  Sir  James  Ross's 

own  words  — "  We  ^^tood  over  toward   northeast  cape 

until  we  came  in  v^Vh  the  edge  of  a  pack,  too  dense  for 

us  to  penetrate,  lying  between  us  and  JiCopold  Island, 

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PROGRESS   OF   AROTIO   DISCOVERY. 


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about  fourteen  miles  broad  ;  we  therefore  coasted  the 
north  shore  of  Barrow's  Strait,  to  seek  a  harbor  further 
to  the  westward,  and  to  examine  the  numerous  inlets  of 
that  shore.  Maxwell  Bay,  and  several  smaller  indenta- 
tions, were  thoroughly  explored,  and,  although  we  got 
near  the  entrance  of  Wellmgton  Channel,  the  firm  bar- 
rier of  ice  which  stretched  across -it,  and  which  had  not 
broken  away  this  season,  convinced  us  all  was  imprac- 
ticable in  that  direction.  We  now  stood  to  the  south- 
west to  seek  for  a  harbor  near  Cape  Bennell,  but  found 
a  heavy  body  of  ice  extending  from  the  west  of  Com- 
wallis  island  in  a  compact  mL3S  to  Leopold  Island. 
Coasting  along  the  pack  during  stormy  and  foggy 
weather,  we  had  difiiculty  in  keeping  the  ships  free 
during  the  nights,  for  I  believe  so  great  a  quantity  of  ice 
was  never  betore  seen  in  Barrow's  Sti'ait  at  this  period 
of  the  season." 

Fortunately,  after  some  days  of  anxious  and  arduous 
work,  the  ships  were  ffot  through  the  pack,  and  secured 
in  the  harbor  of  Port  Leopold  on  the  11th  of  September. 
No  situation  could  be  better  adaj)ted  for  the  purpose 
than  this  locality ;  being  at  the  junction  of  tne  four 

freat  channels  of  Barrow's  Strait,  Lancaster  Sound, 
*rince  Regent  Lilet,  and  "Wellington  Channel,  it  was 
hardly  possible  for  any  party,  after  abandoning  their 
ships,  to  pass  alone  the  shores  of  any  of  those  inlets, 
without  nnding  indications  of  the  proidmity  of  these 
■hips. 

The  night  following  the  very  day  of  the  ships'  getting 
in,  the  main  pack  closed  with  the  land,  and  completely 
sealed  the  mouth  of  the  harbor.  The  long  winter  was 
passed  in  exploring  and  surveying  journeys  along  the 
coasts  in  all  airections.  During  the  winter  as  many  as 
fifty  white  foxes  were  taken  alive,  in  traps  made  of 
empty  casks  set  for  the  purpose.  As  it  was  well  known 
how  large  a  tract  of  country  these  animals  traverse  in 
search  of  food,  copper  collars,  (upon  which  a  notice  of 
the  position  of  the  ships  and  depots  of  provisions  was 
engraved,)  were  clinched  round  their  necks,  and  they 
were  then  set  free,  in  the  hope  that  some  of  these  fo^^ 


•""^tl 


TOTAOB  OF  BNTEBPBISE  AND  INVE8TIUAT0B. 


285 


footea  messengers  might  be  the  means  of  conveying  the 
intelligence  to  the  Erebus  and  Terror,  as  the  crews  of 
those  vessels  would  naturally  be  eager  for  their  capture. 
Tiio  months  of  April  and  May  were  occupied  by  Capt. 
Ross,  Lieut.  McCIintock,  and  a  party  of  twelve  men,  in 
examining  and  thoroughly  exploring  all  the  inlets  and 
smaller  indentations  of  the  northern  and  western  coasts 
uf  Boothia  peninsula,  in  which  any  ships  might  have 
found  shelter. 

From  the  high  land  in  the  neighborhood  of  Cape 
Bunny,  Capt.  Ross  obtained  a  very  extensive  view,  and 
t>hserved  that  the  whole  space  between  it  and  Cape 
Walker' to  the  west,  and  Wellington  Strait  to  the  north, 
was  occupied  by  very  heavy  hummocky  ice. 

"The  examination  of  the  coast,"  Sir  James  lloss  tells 
us,  "  was  pursued  until  the  5th  of  June,  when,  having 
consumed  more  than  half  our  provisions,  and  the  strength 
o\'  the  party  being  much  reduced,  I  was  reluctantly 
compelled  to  abandon  further  operations,  as  it  was, 
moreover,  necessary  to  give  the  men  a  day  of  rest. 
But  that  the  time  might  not  wholly  be  lost,  I  proceeded 
with  two  hands  to  the  extreme  south  point  in  sight  from 
our  encampment,  distant  about  eight  or  nine  miles." 

This  extreme  point  is  situate  in  lat.  72°  38'  N.,  and 
long.  95°  40'  W.,  and  is  the  west  face  of  a  small  high 
peninsula.  The  state  of  the  atmosphere  being  at  tlie 
time  peculiarly  favorable  for  distinctness  of  vision,  land 
of  any  great  elevation  mi^ht  have  been  seen  at  the  dis- 
lance  oi  100  miles.  The  niffhest  cape  of  the  coast  was 
not  more  than  fifty  miles  distant,  bearing  nearly  due 
south.  A  very  narrow  isthmus  was  found  to  separate 
Prince  Regent  Inlet  from  the  western  sea  at  Cress  well 
and  Brentford  Bays.  The  ice  it  this  quarter  proved  to 
be  eight  feet  thick.  A  large  cairn  of  stones  was  erected, 
and  on  the  6th  of  June,  the  .'•eturn  journey  was  com- 
menced. After  encountering  a  variety  of  difficulties 
thoy  reached  the  ships  on  the  23d,  so  completely  worn 
out  by  fatigue,  that  every  man  was,  from  some  cause  or 
other,  in  tne  doctor's  hands  for  two  or  three  weeks. 
During  their  absence,  Mr  Matthias,  the  assist anlrsurgeon 


986 


PBOOBB88  OF  ABOTIO  DI8C0VEBT. 


I    ■     i,!*. 


of  the  Enterprise,  had  died  of  coiisnmption.  Several  of 
the  crews  of  both  ships  were  in  a  declining  state,  and 
thegeneral  report  of  health  was  bv no  means  cheeiing. 
While  Captain  Ross  was  awa^,  Commander  Bird 
had  dispatched  ot'ier  surveying  parties  in  different  di- 
rections. One,  under  the  command  of  Lieutenant  Bar 
nard,  to  the  northern  shore  of  Barrow's  Strait,  crossing 
the  ice  to  Cape  Hind;  a  second, commanded  by  Lieu- 
tenant Browne,  to  the  eastern  shore  of  Regent  Inlet ; 
and  a  third  party  of  six  men,  conducted  by  Lieutenant 
Robinson,  along  the  western  shore  of  the  Inlet.  The 
latter  officer  extended  his  examination  of  the  coast  as 
far  as  Cresswell  Bay,  several  miles  to  the  southward 
of  Fury  Beach.  He  found  the  house  still  standing  in 
which  Sir  John  Ross  passed  the  winters  of  1832-33, 
together  with  a  quantity  of  the  stores  and  provisions 
of  the  Fury,  lost  there  in  1827.  On  opening  some  of 
the  packages  coiitaining  flour,  sugar  and  peas,  they 
were  all  found  to  be  in  excellent  preservation,  and  the 

f>reserved  soup  as  good  as  when  manufactured.  The 
abors  of  these  searching  parties  were,  however,  of 
comparatively  short  duration,  as  thev  all  suffered  from 
snow-blindness,  sprained  ankles,  and  debility. 

As  it  was  now  but  too  evident,  from  no  traces  of  the 
ahflerit  expedition  having  been  met  with  by  any  of 
these  ])artics,  that  the  ships  could  not  have  been  de- 
tained anywhere  in  this  part  of  the  arctic  regions, 
Captain  Ross  considered  it  most  desirable  to  push  for- 
ward to  the  westward  as  soon  as  his  ships  should  be  lib- 
crated.  His  chief  hopes  now  centered  in  the  efforts  of 
Sir  John  Richardson's  party;  but  he  felt  persuaded 
that  S:,'  John  Franklin's  ships  must  have  penetrated 
so  far  beyond  Melville  Island  as  to  induce  him  to  prefer 
making  for  the  continent  of  America  rather  than  seek- 
ing assistance  from  tlie  whale  shipe  in  Baffin's  Bay. 
The  crews,  weakened  by  incessant  exertion,  were  now 
very  unfit  state  to  undertake  the  heavy  labor 


m  a 


which  they  had  yet  to  accomplish,  but  all  hands  that 
were  able  were  set  to  work  with  sawe  to  cut  a  channel 
toward  the  point  of  the  harbor*  a  distance  of  lathei 


TOTAOE  OF  ENTERPKISB   AND  INYESTIOATOS.       287 


jgiona, 
ish  for- 
be  lib- 
forts  of 
maded 
»trated 
prefer 
U  seek- 

Bay. 
re  now 

labor 
Is  that 
liannel 

athei 


more  than  two  miles,  and  on  the  28th  of  Augnat  the 
ships  got  clear,  ^-^fore  uuittinff  the  port,  a  house  was 
built  of  the  spare  bpars  oi  both  iHiips,  and  covered  with 
such  of  the  housing  cloths  as  could  be  dispensed  with. 
Twelve  months'  provisions,  fuel,  and  other  necessaries 
were  also  left  behind,  together  with  the  steam  launch 
belonging  to  the  Investigator,  which,  having  been  pur- 
posely lengthened  seven  feet,  now  formed  a  fine  vessel, 
capable  ofconvevinff  the  whole  of  Sir  John  Frauklin^s 
party  to  the  whale  ships,  if  necessary. 

The  Investigator  and  Enterprise  now  proceeded 
toward  the  northern  shore  of  Barrow's  Strait,  for  the 
purpose  of  examining  Wellington  Channel,  and,  if  pos- 
sible, penotratinff  as  far  as  Melville  Island,  but  when 
about  twelve  mues  from  the  shore,  the  ships  came  to 
the  fixed  land-ice,  and  found  it  impossible  to  proceed. 

On  the  1st  of  September  a  strong  wind  suddenly 
arising,  brought  the  loose  pack,  through  which  they 
had  been  struggling,  down  upon  the  ships,  which  were 
closely  beset.  At  times,  during  two  or  three  days, 
they  sustained  severe  pressure,  and  ridges  of  hum- 
mocks were  thrown  up  all  around ;  but  after  that  time 
the  temperature  falling  to  near  zero,  it  formed  the 
whole  body  of  ice  into  one  solid  mass. 

The  remainder  of  the  narrative,  as  related  by  the 
Commander  of  the  expedition  in  his  official  dispatch, 
will  not  bear  abridgment. 

'^  We  were  so  circumstanced  that  for  some  days  we 
could  not  unship  the  rudder,  and  when,  by  the  labori« 
ous  operation  of  sawing  and  removing  the  hummocks 
from  under  the  stern,  we  were  able  to  do  so,  we  found 
it  twisted  and  damaged ;  and  the  ship  was  so  much 
strained,  as  to  increase  the  leakage  from  three  inches 
in  a  fortnight  to  fourteen  inches  daily.  The  ice  was 
stationary  K)r  a  few  days ;  the  pressure  had  so  folded 
the  lighter  pieces  over  each  other  and  they  were  so 
interlaced,  as  to  form  one  entire  sheet,  extending  from 
shore  to  shore  of  Barrow's  Strait,  and  as  far  to  the  east 
and  west  as  the  eye  could  discern  from  the  mast-head, 
while  the  exts-emo  severity  of  the  temperature  had 


-■it. 


'1 


288 


PUOGKSSS  OF  AUOl'lO  DlttOOVKUX. 


cemented  the  whole  so  firmly  together  that  it  appeared! 
Iiighly  improbable  that  it  could  break  up  again  this 
suason.  In  the  space  which  had  been  cleared  away 
for  unshipping  the  rudder,  the  newly-formed  ice  was 
fifteen  inches  thick,  and  in  some  places  along  the  ship's 
lide  the  thirteen-feet  screws  were  too  short  to  work. 
We  had  now  fully  made  up  our  minds  that  the  ships 
were  fixed  for  the  winter,  and  dismal  as  the  prospect 
appeared,  it  was  far  preferable  to  being  carried  along 
the  west  coast  of  Baffin's  Bay,  where  the  grounded 
bergs  are  in  such  numbers  upon  the  shallow  banks  off 
that  shore,  as  to  render  it  next  to  impossible  fbr  ships 
involved  in  a  pack  to  escape  destruction.  It  was, 
therefore,  with  a  mixture  of  hope  and  anxiety  that,  on 
the  wind  shifting  to  the  westward,  we  perceived  the 
whole  body  of  ice  begin  to  drive  to  the  eastward,  at  the 
rate  of  eight  to  ten  miles  daily.  Every  efibrt  on  our 
pnrt  was  totally  unavailing,  for  no  human  power  could 
liave  moved  either  of  the  ships  a  single  inch ;  they  were 
thus  completely  taken  out  oi  our  own  hands,  and  in  the 
center  of  a  field  of  ice  more  than  fifty  miles  in  circum- 
ference, were  carried  along  the  southern  shore  of 
Lancaster  Sound. 

"  After  passing  its  entrance,  the  ice  drifted  in  a  more 
southerly  airection ,  along  the  western  shore  of  Baffin's 
Bay,  until  we  were  abreast  of  Pond's  Bav,  to  the  south- 
ward of  which  we  observed  a  great  number  of  icebergs 
stretching  across  our  path,  and  presenting  the  fearml 
prospect  of  our  worst  anticipations.  But  when  least 
expected  by  us,  our  release  was  almost  miraculously 
brought  about.  The  great  field  of  ice  was  rent  into 
innumerable,  fragbients,  as  if  by  some  unseen  power." 

By  energetic  exertion,  warping,  and  sailing,  the  ships 
got  clear  of  the  pack,  and  reached  an  open  space  of 
water  on  the  25th  of  September. 

'^  It  is  impossible,"  says  Captain  Ross,  in  his  con 
eluding  observations,  "  to  convey  any  idea  of  the  sen 
sation  we  experienced  when  we  found  ourselves  onc€ 
more  at  liberty,  while  many  a  grateful  heart  poured 
forth  its  praises  and  thanksgivings  to  A-lm^ghty  God 
for  this  ui  looked  for  deliverance." 


VOTAOU  or   KNTKKPRI8K  AND   INVK6TIOATOR.       280 


"The  advance  of  winter  had  now  closed  all  the  har- 
bors against  us ;  and  as  it  was  impossible  to  penetrate 
to  the  westward  through  the  pack  from  which  we  had 
just  been  liberated,  I  made  the  signal  to  tli^  Investi- 
gator of  my  intention  to  return  to  England." 

After  a  favorable  passage,  the  ships  arrived  home 
early  in  November,  Captain  Sir  J.  C.  Ross  reporting 
himself  at  the  Admiralty  on  the  5th  of  November. 

As  this  is  the  last  arctic  voyage  of  Sir  James  0.  Koss, 
it  is  a  fitting  place  for  some  record  of  his  arduous 
services. 

Captain  Sir  James  Clarke  Ross  entered  the  navy  in 
1812,  and  served  as  volunteer  of  the  first  class,  mid- 
shipman and  mate  until  1817,  with  his  uncle  Com- 
mander Ross.  In  1818  he  was  appointed  Admiralty 
midshipi  an  in  the  Isabella,  on  Commander  Ross's  first 
voyage  oi  discovery  to  tue  arctic  seas.  He  was  then 
midshipman  in  the  two  following  years  with  Captain 
Parry,  in  the  Hecla  ;  followed  him  again  in  the  Furv 
in  his  second  voyage,  and  was  promoted  on  the  26th 
of  December,  1822.  In  1824  and  1825,  he  was  lieu- 
tenant in  the  Fury,  under  Captain  Iloppner,  on  Parry's 
third  voyage.  In  1827,  he  was  appointed  first  lieuten- 
ant of  the  Tlecla,  under  Parry,  and  accompanied  him 
in  command  of  the  second  boat  in  his  attempt  to  reach 
the  North  Pole.  On  his  return  he  received  his  promo- 
tion to  tlie  rank  of  commander,  the  8th  of  November, 
1827.  From  1829  to  1833,  he  was  employed  with  his 
uncle  as  second  in  command  in  the  Victory  on  the  pri- 
vate expedition  sent  out  by  Mr.  Felix  Booth.  Dm  ing 
this  period  he  planted,  on  the  Ist  of  June,  1831,  the 
British  flag  on  tne  North  Magnetic  Pole.  For  this,  on 
his  return,  ho  was  presented  by  the  Herald's  College 
Mrith  an  add  lion  to  nis  family  arms  of  an  especial  crest, 
representing  a  flag-staff  erect  on  a  rock,  with  the  union 
jack  hoisted  thereon,  inscribed  with  the  date,  ^^  1  June, 
1831."  On  ( le  23d  of  October,  1834,  he  was  promoted 
to  the  rank  <  f  Captain,  and  in  the  following  year  em- 
ployed in  making  magnetic  observations,  preparatory 
to  the  gene^^  magnetic  survey  of  England.      In  the 


-    ."[ 


!  i 


290 


P210OBU6S   OF  ABCrriO   DISOOYBUT. 


close  of  1836,  it  having  been  represented  to  the  Ad 
miralty,  from  Hull,  that  eleven  wnale  shine,  having  on 
board  600  men,  were  left  in  the  ice  in  Davis'  Strait, 
and  in  imminent  danger  of  perishing,  unless  relief  wore 
forwarded  to  them,  the  Lords  Commissioners  resolved 
upon  sending  out  a  ship  to  search  tor  them.  Captain 
ICoss,  with  that  promptitude  and  humanity  which  has 
always  characterised  nim,  volunteered  to  go  out  in  the 
depth  of  winter,  and  the  Lieutenants,  F.  R.  M.  Crozier, 
Inman,  and  Ommaney,  with  the  three  mates,  Jesse, 
Buchau,  and  John  Smith,  and  Mr.  Hallett,  clerk  in 
charge,  joined  him.  They  sailed  from  England  on  the 
2l8t  of  December,  and  on  arriving  in  Davis^Strait,  after 
a  stormy  passage,  found  that  nine  of  the  missing  ships 
were  by  that  time  in  England,  that  the  tenth  was  re- 
leased on  her  passage,  and  that  the  other  was  in  all 
probability  lost,  as  some  of  her  water-casks  had  been 
picked  up  at  sea.  From  1837  to  1838,  Captain  Eoss 
was  employed  in  determining  the  variation  of  the  com- 

Eass  on  all  parts  of  the  coast  of  Great  Britain ;  and 
'om  1839  to  1843,  as  Captain  of  the  Erebus,  in  com- 
mand of  the  antarctic  expedition.  In  1841,  he  was 
presented  with  the  founder's  medal  of  the  Eoyal  Geo- 
graphical Society  of  London,  for  his  discoveries  toward 
the  South  Pole ;  and  he  has  also  received  the  gold 
medal  of  the  Geographical  Society  of  Paris.  On  the 
13th  of  March,  1844,  he  received  the  honor  of  knight- 
hood from  the  Queen,  and  in  June  of  the  same  year 
the  University  of  Oxford  bestowed  on  him  their  honor- 
ary degree  of  D.  C.  L.  Li  1848,  he  went  out,  as  we 
have  just  seen,  in  the  Enterprise,  in  Command  of  one 
of  the  searching  expeditions  sent  to  seek  for  Franklin. 

YOTAOB  OF  BL  M.  S.  "NOBTH  StAB.*' 

The  North  Star,  of  500  tons,  was  fitted  out  in  the 
spring  of  1849,  under  the  command  of  Mr.  J.  Saunders, 
who  had  been  acting  master  with  Captain  Back,  in  the 
Terror,  in  her  perilous  voyage  to  the  Frozen  Strait,  in 
1836 


TOTAOB  OF  THE  HOKTU   BTAB. 


S<^1 


The  following  are  the  officers  of  the  ships  :— 

Master  Commanding — J.  Saunders. 

Second   Masters — John  Way,  M.  Norman,  H.  B. 

^awler. 
Acting  Ice-ma8toi*8  —  J.  Leach,  and  G.  Sabestor. 
Assistant  Surgeon  —  James  Rae,  M.  D. 
Clerk  in  Cliarge  —  Jasper  Rutter. 

The  Nortli  Star  sailed  from  the  river  Thames,  on  the 
26tli  of  May,  1849,  freighted  with  provisions  for  th© 
missinpj  expedition,  and  with  orders  and  supplies  for 
the  tlnterprise  and  Investigator. 

The  following  is  one  of  the  early  dispatches  from  the 
commander  :— 

"  To  the  Secretary  of  the  Admiralty. 

"  II.  M.  S.  North  Star,  July  19, 1849, 
lat.  74°  3'  iT.,  long.  69°  40'  TT. 

''  Sir, —  I  addressed  a  letter  to  their  Lordships  on  the 
18th  ult,  wlien  in  lat.  73°  30'  N.,and  long.  56"'  53'  W., 
detailing  the  particulars  of  my  proceedings  up  to  tlial 
date,  which  letter  was  sent  by  a  boat  from  the  Lady 
Jane,  whaler,  which  vessel  was  wrecked,  and  those  boats 
were  proceeding  to  the  Danish  settlements.  Since  tlien, 
(  regret  to  state,  our  progress  has  been  almost  entirely 
itopped,  owing  to  the  ice  being  so  placed  across  Mel- 
rille  Bay  as  to  render  it  perfectly  impassable. 

"  On  the  6th  inst,  finding  it  impossible  to  make  anv 
progress,  I  deemed  it  advisable  to  run  as  far  S.  as  72  , 
examining  the  pack  as  we  went  along.  At  72°  22'  the 
pack  appeared  slacker,  and  we  entered  it,  and,  after 
proceeding  about  twelve  miles,  found  ourselves  com- 
pletely stopped  by  large  floes  of  ice.  We  accordingly 
put  back,  and  steeied  again  ior  the  northward. 

"  Having  this  day  reached  the  latitude  of  74°  3'  N., 
in  J  long.  69°  40  W.,  the  ice  appeared  more  open,  and 
we  stood  in  toward  the  land,  when  we  observed  two 
boats  approaching,  and  which  afterward,  on  coming 
ilongside,  were  found  to  belong  to  the  Prince  of  Wales, 
A'lialer,  wliich  vessel  was  nipped  by  the  ice  on  the  12tb 
nst.,  in  Melville  Bay. 


292 


rttOOIlESS    OF   Altcnc   mriCOVKRT. 


(- 


pn : 


"  By  the  captain  of  tlie  Prince  of  Wales  I  forward 
this  letter  to  tueir  LordBhi|)s,  he  intending  to  proceed 
io  his  boats  to  the  Danish  settlements. 
"  1  have  the  honor  to  be,  &c. 

^*  J.  SAUNDmts,  Master  and  Oommandor. 
"  P.  S.— Crew  all  well  on  board." 

On  the  29th  of  July,  having  reached  the  » icinity  of 
the  Devil's  Thumb  and  MelvUle  Bay,  in  the  northerly 
part  of  Baffin's  Bav,  she  was  beset  in  an  ice-field,  with 
which  she  drifted  helplessly  about  as  the  tide  or  wind 
impelled  her,  until  the  16th  of  August,  when,  a  slight 
opening  in  the  ice  appearing,  an  effort  was  made  to 
heave  Wirougli  into  clear  water.  This  proved  labor  in 
vain,  and  no  further  move  was  made  until  the  21st  of 
September,  except  as  she  drifted  in  the  ice  floe  in  which 
she  was  fixed.  On  the  day  last  named  she  was  driving 
before  a  hard  gale  from  the  S.  S.  W.,  directly  down  upon 
an  enormous  iceberg  in  Melville  Sound,  upon  which  iJ 
she  had  struck  in  the  then  prevailing  weatner,  her  total 
destructio  >uld  have  been  inevitable.  Providen- 
tially a  c^  of  the  ice-field  in  which  she  was  being 
carried  furiously  along  came  into  violent  collision  with 
the  berg,  a  large  section  was  carried  away,  and  she 
escaped.  On  the  29th  of  September,  1849,  having  been 
sixty-two  days  in  the  ice,  she  took  up  her  winter  quar- 
ters in  North  Star  Bay,  so  called  after  herself,  a  small 
bay  in  "Wolstenholme  Sound,  lying  in  76°  33'  north  lat- 
itude, and  68°  56'  west  longitude ;  the  farthest  point  to 
the  north  at  which  a  British  ship  ^ver  wintered.  The 
ship  was  fixed  about  half  a  mile  irom  the  shore,  and 
made  snug  for  the  winter,  sails  were  unbent,  the  masts 
struck,  and  the  ship  housed  over  and  made  as  warm 
and  comfortable  as  circumstances  would  permit.  The 
ice  soon  after  took  across  the  Sound,  so  that  the  crew 
could  have  walked  on  shore.  The  cold  was  intense  ; 
but  two  or  three  stoves  warmed  f  he  ship,  and  the  crews 
were  cheered  up  and  encouraged  with  all  sorts  of  games 
and  amusements,  occasionally  visiting  the  shore  ror  the 
purpose  of  skylarking.  There  was,  unfortunately,  but 
little  game  to  shoot     Former  accounts  gave  this  pb  %  * 


TOYAOB  OF  I'lIE    NOUTH   STAB. 


993 


a  high  character  for  door  and  other  animals  ;  but  the 
crew  of  the  North  Star  never  saw  a  single  head  of  deer, 
and  other  animals  were  scarce  ;  about  fifty  hares  were 
killed.  Foxes  were  numerous,  and  a  number  shot,  but 
none  taken  alive.  A  few  Esquimaux  families  occasion- 
ally visited  the  ship,  and  one  poor  man  was  brought  on 
board  with  his  feet  so  frozen  that  they  dropped.  Uo 
was  placed  under  tlie  care  of  the  assistant-surgeon,  Dr. 
Rao,  who  paid  him  mucli  attention,  and  his  legs  .  -aO 
nearly  cured  ;  but  he  died  from  a  pulmonary  disorder 
after  iiaving  been  on  boaid  some  six  weeks.  The  North 
Star  was  not  able  to  leave  this  retreat  until  the  1st  of 
August,  1850,  and  got  into  clear  water  on  the  third,  of 
that  month.  On  tlie  2l8t  of  August,  she  spoke  th< 
Lady  Franklin,  Captain  Penny,  and  her  consort  tl 
Sophia,  and  the  following  day  the  Felix,  Sir  John  Ros? 
iu  Lancaster  Sound.  Captain  Penny  reported  that  h 
had  left  Captain  Austin  all  well  on  tne  17th  of  August. 
On  the  23d  of  August,  the  North  Star  began  landing 
the  provisions  she  nad  carried  out  in  Navy  Board  In 
let ;  73°  44'  N.  latitude,  80°  66'  W.  longitude.  Sh< 
remained  five  days  there,  and  was  occupied  four  and  a 
half  in  landing  the  stores,  which  were  deposited  in  a 
ravine  a  short  distance  from  the  beach  of  Supply  Bay, 
the  bight  in  *Navy  Board  Inlet,  which  the  commander 
of  the  North  Star  so  named.  The  position  of  the  stores 
was  indicated  by  a  flag-staff,  with  a  black  ball,  and  a 
letter  placed  beneath  a  cairn  of  stones.  They  had  pre- 
viously tried  to  deposit  the  stores  at  Port  Bowen,  and 
Port  Neale,  but  were  prevented  approaching  them  by 
the  ice.  On  the  30th  of  August,  the  North  Star  saw 
and  spoke  the  schooner  Prince  Albert,  Commander 
Forsyth,  in  Possession  Bay.  On  the  3l8t,  a  boat  was 
sent  to  the  Prince  Albert,  when  Commander  Forsyth 
came  on  board  and  reported  that  he  had  also  been  to 
Port  Neale,  btit  had  not  been  able  to  enter  for  the  ice, 
and  had  found  one  of  the  American  ships  sent  out  to 
search  for  Sir  John  Franklin  ashore  in  Barrow's  Strait, 
that  he  had  tendered  assistance,  which  had  been  de- 
clined by  the  American  commander,  as,  his  ship  being 


iu 


PB00KRS8  OF  AUCI'W  DISCOVERT. 


nninjnrod,  ho  believe<i  his  own  crew  cornpctont  to  get 
Uor  uft'  Commander  ForHvth  reported  that  Captiiin 
Austin  had  proceeded  to  Pond's  iJay  in  the  Intrepid, 
tender  to  the  Assistance,  to  land  lettera.  Tliu  Nortii 
Star  wont  on  to  Pond's  Bay,  bnt  conld  not  find  any  iii 
dication  of  Captain  Austin's  having  been  there.  It  is 
conjectured  that  he  had  passed  the  appointed  spot  in  a 
fog.  The  North  Star's  people  suftcred  much  from  the 
intense  cold,  but  only  lost  live  ;\ands  during  her  peril- 
ous trip  and  arctic  winter  quarters.  She  left  there  on 
September  9th,  and  reached  Spithead  on  the  28th  of 
September,  1860.  Since  his  return  Mr.  Saunders  has 
been  appointed  Master  Attendant  of  the  Dock-yard  at 
^alta.  The  Admiralty  have  received  dispatches  from 
Captain  Sir  J.  Ross,  Captain  Penny,  and  Captain  Om- 
maney.  Captain  OmmaTur  ,  in  the  Assistance,  dating 
from  off  Lancaster  Sound,  latitude  75^  46'  N.,  longi- 
tude 76**  49'  W.,  states  that  some  Esquimaux  had  de- 
scribed to  him  a  ohip  being  h railed  in  during  the  last 
winter,  and,  on  going  to  the  spot,  ho  found,  from  some 
papers  left,  that  it  was  the  North  Star.  He  was  pro- 
ceeding to  search  in  Lancaster  Sound.  Captain  Penny, 
of  the  Lady  Franklin,  writing  from  Lancaster  Sound, 
August  21,  states,  that  having  heard  on. the  18th  from 
Captain  Austin  of  a  report  from  the  Esquimaux,  that 
Sir  John  Franklin's  ships  had  been  lost  forty  miles 
north,  and  the  crews  murdered,  he  went  with  an  inter- 
preter, but  could  find  no  evidence  for  the  rumor,  and 
came  to  the  conclusion  that  the  whole  story  had  been 
founded  on  the  North  Star's  wintering  there.  He  con- 
sidered that  his  interpreter,  M.  Petersen,  had  done  much 
good  by  exposing  the  fallacy* of  the  story  of  Sir  J 
Ross's  Esquimaux. 

Hkb  Majb3tt*8  Ships  "Entekpbisb"  akd  "hniBBTiOA 
tor"  under  Caitain  Colunbon. 

The  Enterprise  and  Investigator  were  fitted  out  agair 
hnined lately  on  their  return  Iiomo,  and  placed  unde» 
khe  charge  of  Captain  B.  Collinson,  C.  I>.,  with  the  fcJ 


BKCOND  TRIP  OF  EMTRRPRHV  AND  QITaBTIOATOB.    295 

lowing  ofiicor8  attached,  to  proceed  to  Behriiig*B  Strait, 
to  rugume  the  Boaix:h  in  that  direction : — 

Enterprise^  340  tona. 
Captain -^^  ColUnson. 
Lieutenants  —  G.  A.  Phayre,*  J.  J.  Barnard,*  and 

C.  T.  Jngo. 
Master — U.  T.  G.  Legg. 
Second  Master — Francis  Skead. 
Mate  — M.  T.  Parl<s. 
Surgeon  —  Robert  Anderson.* 
AsBistant-Siirgcon — Edward  Adams.* 
Clerk  in  Charge  —  Edward  Whitehead.* 
Total  complement,  66. 

Investigator. 

CommanJcjr  —  R.  J.  M'Clure.* 
Lieutenants  —  W.  H.  Ilaswell  and  S.  G.  CresswelL* 
Mates  —  H.  H.  Saintsbury  and  R  J.  Wyniatt 
Second  Master  —  Stephen  Court.* 
Surgeon  —  Alexander  jVrmstrong,  H.  D. 
Afisistant-Surgeon  —  Hy.  Piers. 
Cl«rk  in  Charge — Josei*h  C.  Paine. 
Total  comj'lement,  66. 

Those  officers  marked  '^tL  a  star  had  been  with  the 
ships  in  their  last  voyaee. 

These  vessels  sailed  trom  Plymouth  on  the  20th  of 
January,  1850.  A  Mr.  Micrtsching,  a  Moravian  mis 
fiionary,  was  appointed  to  tho  Enterprise,  as  interpreter. 
This  gentleman  is  in  the  prime  of  life,  of  robust  health, 
inured,  by  a  service  of  hve  yeara  in  Labrador,  to  the 
hardships  and  privations  of  the  arctic  regions,  and  suffi- 
ciently acquainted  with  the  language  and  manners  of 
the  Esquimaux  to  be  able  to  ]iold  friendly  and  unre- 
searved  intercourse  with  them. 

The  Investigator  and  the  Enterprise  were  at  tlie 
Sandwich  Islands  on  June  29th.  Captain  Collinson 
purposed  mailing  in  a  few  days,  and'expected  to  reach 
the  ice  about  the  8Ui  of  July.     Prior  to  his  arrival, 


1 

1 1 1' 

i' 1 1 

1 

iiti:;' 

I'llV 

li&j 

1* 

'IS 


296 


PBOORBBB  Of   A£CrnO  DISCOVERT 


numerous  whalers  bad  8tai*ted  for  the  Strait,  one  in  par 
ticular,  under  the  command  of  a  Captain  Hoys,  witb 
the  expressed  intention  of  endeavoring  to  earn  the 
Franklm  reward. 

These  vessels  are  intended  to  penetrate,  if  possible,  to 
the  western  extremity  of  Melville  Island,  there  to  winter, 
pnd  make  further  search,  in  the  spring  of  1851,  for  tho 
crews  of  the  lost  ships. 

In  a  letter  from  Captain  CoUinson  to  Commander  Mc 
Clure,  dated  Oahu,  June  29th,  1850,  with  a  sight  of 
which  I  have  been  favored  at  the  Admiralty,  he  thus 
describes  his  intentions — "I  intend  making  the  pack 
close  to  the  American  shore,  and  availing  myself  of  the 
first  favorable  opening  weat  of  the  coast  stream  ;  pressing 
forward  toward  Melville  Island.  In  the  event  of  meet- 
ing land,  it  is  most  probable  that  I  would  pursue  the 
southern  shore." 

The  latest  letter  received  from  Commander  McClure 
IS  dated  Kotzebue  Sound,  July  27th,  1850,  and  the 
following  is  an  extract : — 

"  You  will  bo  glad  to  learn  that  to  this  we  have  been 
highly  favored,  carrying  a  fair  wind  from  Whoa,  wliich 
place  we  left  on  the  4th.  "We  passed  the  Aleutian 
Islands  on  the  20th,  in  172°  30'  W.,  and  got  fairly 
through  the  Straits  to-day,  and  we  consider  we  are  upon 
our  ground ;  the  only  detriment  has  been  very  dense 
fogs,  which  have  renuered  the  navigation  of  the  islands 
exceedingly  nervous  work ;  but  as  the  object  to  be 
achieved  is  of  so  important  a  nature,  all  hazards  must 
bo  run  to  carry  out  the  intentions  of  those  at  home, 
which  have  very  fortunately  terminated  without  acci- 
dent. We  are  now  niaking  the  most  of  our  wind,  and 
we  kope  to  meet  an  American  whaler,  of  which  I  be- 
lieve tnere  are  a  great  number  fishing  this  season,  and 
to  whom  we  must  intrust  our  last  dispatches.  Sincerely 
do  I  truat  that,  ere  we  return,  some  tidings  of  poor  Sii 
John  and  his  noble  companions  may  reward  our  search ; 
which  will  render  the  long-sought  for  passage,  should 
it  be  our  fortune  to  make  it,  one  of  the  most  memorable 
in  the  annals  of  our  times,  and  relieve  many  an  anxious 
breadt" 


8B0OND  TBU'   OF  ENTEBPBI8E  AHJj   INVE8TI0ATOU.  297 

Dispatches  have  been  received  at  the  Admiralty  frow 
Captain  Kellet,  C.  B.,  of  her  Majesty's  ship  Iieridd 
dated  at  sea,  the  14th  of  October,  1850,  on  nia  return 
from  Behrin^'s  Strait.  The  Herald  had  communicated 
with  her  Majesty's  ship  Plover,  on  the  10th  of  July,  at 
Cbamisso  Island,  where  the  Plover  had  passed  the  pre- 
ceding winter.  The  two  ships  proceeded  to  the  north 
ward  until  they  sighted  the  pack-ice,  when  the  Herald 
returned  to  Cape  Lisburne,  in  quest  of  Captain  Collin- 
eon's  expedition,  and  on  the  Slst  fell  in  with  Her  Maj- 
esty's ship  Investigator,  which  had  made  a  surprisingly 
sliort  passage  of  twenty-six  days  from  the  SandwicL 
Islands.  The  Herald  remained  cruising  off  Cape  Lis- 
burne, and  again  fell  in  with  the  Plover  on  the  13th  of 
A.ugust,  on  her  return  from  Point  Barrow,  Commandei 
Muore  liaving  coasted  in  his  boats,  and  minutely  exam- 
ined the  several  inlets  as  far  as  that  point  from  Icy  Cape 
without  gaining  my  intelligence  of  the  missing  expeai-- 
tion.  Commander  Moore  and  his  boat's  crew  haa  suf- 
fered severely  from  exposure  to  cold.  Captain  Kellet, 
having  fully  victualed  the  Plover,  ordered  her  to  winter 
la  Gruntley  Harbor  (her  former  anchorage  at  Chamisso 
Ishmd  not  being  considered  safe,)  and  tl  en  returned  to 
tiie  southward  on  his  way  to  Englan(? 

Dispatches  have  also  been  received  from  Captain  Col 
linson,  C.  B.,  of  her  Majesty's  ship  Enterprise,  and 
Commander  M'Clure,  of  her  Majesty's  ship  Investigator 
of  which  the  following  are  copies : — 


'  '  rprise: 


«*  ffer  Majesty's  SfiMf  ^E 
"Po7<  Ularenoe^  Sept.  13,1860. 

"Sir, — I  have  the  honor  to  transmit  an  account  of 
the  proceediUf^  of  her  Majestyr's  ship  under  my  com 
tnand  since  leaving  Oahu  on  the  30th  of  June. 

"Being  delayed  by  light  wijds,  we  only  reached  the 
western  end  of  the  Aleutian  Chain  by  the  29th  of  July, 
and  made  the  Island  of  St.  Lawrence  on  the  11th  ol 
A.ugu8t,  from  whence  I  Bhape.J  a  course  for  Cape  Lis 
burne.  in  anticipation  of  falliug  in  with  the  Herald  or 


m 


I 


I" 
f  .,■■; 


II 


■^w  i  ■ 


X 


2»8 


PR<)ORE88  OP  AROnO  DISOOVKXT. 


the  Plover.  Not,  however,  eeeixiff  either  of  these  ves- 
eels,  and  finding  nothing  deposited  on  shore,  I  went  on 
to  "ViTainwright  Inlet,  the  last  rendezvous  appointed. 
Here  we  communicated  on  the  15th,  and  bemg  alike 
unsuccessful  in  obtaining  any  infonration,  I  stood  tc 
the  norths  made  the  ice  following  morning,  and  reached 
the  latitude  72<»  40'  N.  in  the  meridian  of  159°  30'  W., 
without  serious  obstruction.  Here,  he  wever,  the  pack 
became  «o  close  that  it  was  impossible  f  o  make  way  in 
any  direction  except  to  the  southward.  Having  exfcrf- 
cated  ourselves  by  noon  on  the  19th,  \i  e  continued  to 
coast  along  the  eage  of  the  main  body,  which  took  a 
southeasterly  trend,  running  through  the  loose  streams., 
so  as  not  to  lose  sight  of  tignt  pack.  A.t  4  a.  m.  on  the 
?Otl;  we  were  in  the  meridian  of  Point  Barrow,  and 
twenty-eight  miles  to  the  north  of  it,  when  W9  foun<^ 
.open  water  to  the  N.  E.,  in  which  we  sailed,  without 
losing  sight  of  the  ice  to  the  north  until  the  morning 
of  the  21st,  when  we  were  obstructed  by  a  heavy  bai^ 
rier  trending  to  the  outhwest.  A  thick  fog  coming  on, 
we  made  a  board  to  the  north,  in  order  to  teel  the  pack 
edge  in  the  upper  part  of  the  bight,  and  not  to  leav<» 
any  part  unex^  *orea.  Having  satisiied  myself  that  no 
opening  existea  ..i  this  direction,  wo  bore  away  to  th(* 
south,  running  through  heavy  floes  closely  packed,  and 
pushing  to  the  eastward  when  an  opportunity  offered- 
In  this,  however,  we  were  unsuccessful,  being  com- 
pelled to  pursue  a  westerly  course,  the  floes  being  vei/ 
heavy  and  humraocky.  By  8  p.  m.  we  were  withip 
thirty  milea  of  the  land,  and  having  clear  weather 
could  see  the  ice  closely  packed  to  the  south  that  le5 
no  doubt  ir  my  mind  that  a  stop  was  put  to  our  pro- 
ceeding in  this  direction,  by  the  ice  butting  so  close  or 
the  shoal  coast  as  to  leave  no  chance  that  our  progresp 
along  it  would  justify  the  attempt  to  reach  Cape  Bath- 
nrst,  a  distance  of  570  miles,  during  the  remaining 
portion  of  this  season;  and  finding  Uiis  opinion  was 
coincided  in  by  those  oflScers  on  board  qualified  to 
form  an  opinion  on  the  subject,  I  determiu^d  to  lose 
no  time  in  communicating  with  Point  Barrow,  but  to 


neooND  TBir  OP  enterphise  Aim  (KTSstioatob.   299 

attempt  the  passage  further  north,  in  hopes  that  the 
lane  of  water  seen  laat  year  hy  the  Herala  and  Plover 
would  afford  me  an  opening  to  the  eastward.  I  there* 
fore  reluctantly  prooeeded -again  to  the  west,  and  turn- 
ing the  pack  edge  fifteen  miles  further  to  the  south 
than  it  was  on  the  day  after  we  left  Wainwright  Inlet, 
we  followed  the  edge  of  a  loose  pack  greatly  broken 
up,  until  we  reached  163°  "W".  long",  when  it  took  a 
sudden  turn  to  the  north,  in  which  direction  we  fol- 
lowed it  until  the  morning  of  the  27th,  when  we  were 
in  latitude  73°  20',  and  found  the  pack  to  the  westward 
trending  southerly.  I  therefore  plied  to  the  eastward, 
endeavoring  to  make  way,  but  such  was  its  close  con- 
dition that  we  could  not  work,  although  we  might  have 
warped  through,  had  the  condition  of  the  ice  in  that 
direction  afforded  us  any  hope ;  but  this,  I  am  sorry  to 
say,  was  not  the  case,  and,  on  the  contrary,  the  further 
we  entered,  the  larger  the  floes  became,  leaving  us,  in 
thick  weather,  often  in  great  difficulty  where  to  find  a 
lane.  On  the  29th  the  thermometer  having  fallen  to 
28°,  and  there  being  no  prospect  of  our  being  able  to 
accomplish  any  thing  toward  the  fulfillment  of  their 
Loi'dships'  instructions  this  season,  I  bore  away  ft>r 
Point  Hope,  where  I  arrived  on  the  81«t,  and  found  a 
bottle  deposited  by  the  Herald,  which  infoi'med  me 
that  it  was  intended  to  place  the  Plover  in  Grantley 
Harbor  this  season.  I  accordingly  proceeded  thither, 
with  the  view  of  taking  her  place  for  the  winter,  and 
enabling  Commander  Moore  to  recruit  his  ship's  com- 
pany by  going  to  the  southward.  On  my  arrival  I 
found  her  inside,  preparing  her  winter  quarters,  and 
having  examined  and  buoyed  the  bar,  I  attempted  to 
take  this  vessel  inside,  but  failed  in  doing  so,  owing 
to  the  change  of  wind  from  south  to  north  having  re- 
duced the  depth  of  water  four  feet,  and  had  to  relieve 
the  ship  of  100  tons,  which  was  <juickly  done  by  th« 
opportune  arrival  of  the  Herald,  before  she  was  re- 
leased from  a  very  critical  position.  The  tides  being 
irregular,  the  rise  and  fiill  depending  principally  on 
the  wind,  and  that,  wind  which  occasions  the  higheat 

1»  M 


.■•i<l»ia;: 


li',  ' 


k  1 


'I 


i!  \( 


800 


PBOOBESS  OF  ABCrno  DISOCTSBI. 


water  producing  a  swell  on  the  bar,  it  became  a  qnes* 
tion  wnether  a  considerable  portion  of  the  ensuinff 
season  misht  not  be  lost  in  getting  the  ship  out  of 
Grantley  Harbor ;  and  on  consulting  Captains  Kellet 
and  Moore,  finding  it  to  be  their  opinion,  founded  on 
the  experience  of  two  years,  that  tue  whalers  •  coming 
from  the  south  pass  through  the  Strait  early  in  June, 
whereas  the  harbors  are  blocked  until  the  middle  of 
July,  I  have  come  to  the  conclusion  that  I  shall  better 
perform  the  important  duty  confided  in  me  by  return- 
ing to  the  south,  and  replenishing  my  provisions,  in- 
stead of  wintering  on  the  Asiatic  Shore,  where  there 
is  not  a  prospect  of  our  being  of  the  slightest  use  to 
the  missing  expedition.  It  is  therefore  my  intention 
to  proceed  to  Hong  Kong,  it  being  nearer  than  Valpa- 
raiso, and  t^e  cold  season  having  set  in,  my  stores  and 
provisions  will  not  be  exposed  to  the  heat  of  a  double 
passage  through  the  tropics ;  and  as  I  shall  not  leave 
until  the  1st  of  April,  1  may  receive  any  further  in- 
structions their  Lordships  may  please  to  communicate. 

"The  Plover  has  been  stored  and  provisioned,  and 
such  of  her  crew  as  are  not  in  a  fit  state  to  contend 
with  the  rigor  of  a  further  stay  in  these  latitudes  have 
been  removed,  and  replaced  by  Captain  Kellet,  and  the 
paragraphs  referring  to  her  in  my  instructions  fulfilled, 

"1  have  directed  Commander  Moore  to  communi- 
cate annually  with  an  Island  in  St.  Lawrence  Bay,  in 
latitude  66°  38'  N.,  and  longitude  170**  43'  W.,  which 
is  much  resorted  to  by  the  whalers,  and  where  any 
communication  their  Lordships  may  be  pleased  to  send 
may  be  deposited  by  them,  as  they  are  not  in  the 
habit  of  cruising  on  this  side  of  the  Strait ;  and  I  have 
requested  Captain  Kellet  to  forward  to  the  Admiralty 
all  the  information  on  this  head  he  may  obtain  at  the 
Sandwich  Islands. 

"  It  is  my  intention  to  proceed  a^ain  to  the  north, 
and  remain  in  the  most  eligible  position  for  afibrding 
assistance  to  the  Investigator,  which  vessel,  having 
been  favored  with  a  surprising  passage  from  the  San£ 
wich  Inlands,  was  fallen  in  with  by  the  Herald  on  the 


SBOOND  TRIP  OF  ENTEBPfClSE  AND  IN  V  ESTlva  aTOR.     30 1 

8j  fit  of  July,  off  Point  Hope,  and  again  on  thQ  Sth  of 
August,  by  the  Plover,  in  latitude  TO**  44'  N.,  and  lon- 
gitude 159®  52' W.,  when  she  was  standing  to  the  north 
under  a  press  of  sail,  and  in  all  probability  reached 
the  vicinity  of  Point  Barrow,  fifteen  days  previous  to 
the  Enterprise,  when  Captain  M'Clure,  having  the 
wliole  season  before  him,  and  animated  with  the  de 
termination  so  vividly  expressed  in  his  letter  to  Cap 
tain  Kellett,  has  most  likely  taken  the  inshore  route, 
and  I  hope  before  this  period  reached  Capo  Bathurst ; 
but  as  he  will  })e  exposed  to  the  imminent  risk  of  being 
forced  on  a  shoal  shore  and  compelled  to  take  to  his 
boats,  I  shall  not  forsake  the  coast  to  the  northward 
of  Point  Hope  until  the  season  is  so  far  advanced  as 
to  insure  their  having  taken  up  their  winter  quarters 
for  this  season. 

"I  have  received  from  my  officers  and  ship's  com- 
pany that  assistance  and  alacrity  in  the  pemrmance 
of  their  duty,  which  the  noble  cause  in  which  we  are 
engaged  must  excite,  and  I  have  the  satisfaction  to  re- 
port that  (under  the  blessing  of  God)  owing  to  the 
means  their  Lordships  have  supplied  in  extra  clothing 
and  provisions,  we  are  at  present  without  a  ma-u.  on 
the  sick  list,  notwithstanding  the  lengthened  period  of 
our  voyage. 

"I  have,  &c., 

KioHABD  CoLLiNBon,  Captain. 

"The  Secretary  of  the  Admiralty.*' 


^Her  Majesty^a  Discovery  ship  ^Investigator^  at  sea^ 
latitude  61°  26'  iT.,  longitude  172°  35'  F.,  July  20. 

Sir, —  As  I  have  received  instructions  from  Captain 
Collinson,  C.  B.,  clear  and  unembarrassing,  (a  copy  of 
which  I  inclose,)  to  proceed  to  Cape  Lisburne  in  the 
hope  of  meeting  him  in  that  vicinity,  as  he  anticipates 
being  detained  a  day  or  two  by  the  Plover  in  Kotzelme 
Soimd,  it  is  unnecessary  to  add  that  every  exertion  shall 
be  made  to  reach  that  rendezvous,  but  can  scarce  ven 
ture  to  hope  that  even  under  very  favorable  circum 


U  1 


f  . 


I-    I 


I 


i\ 


I 

I 
I 


II 


Pi  I' 


50*2 


PBOOBEBS  OF  ABCTIO   DISOOVEB?. 


stan-ces  I  shall  be  so  fortunate  as  to  accomplisa  it  ere 
the  Enterprise  will  have  rounded  that  cape,  from  her 
superior  sailing*,  she  hitherto  having  beaten  us  by  ei^ht 
days  to  Cape  Virsins,  and  from  Magellan  Strait  to  O&u 
six.  It  is,  therefere,  under  the  probable  case  that  this 
vessel  may  form  a  detached  part  of  the  expedition  that 
I  feel  it  my  duty  to  state,  tor  the  information  of  the 
Ijords  Commissioners  of  the  Admiraltv,  the  course 
which,  urder  such  a  contingency,  I  shall  endeavor  to 
pursue,  and  have  to  request  that  you  will  lay  the  same 
before  their  Lordships. 

"  1.  After  passing  Cape  Lisbume,  it  is  my  intention 
to  keep,  in  the  open  water,  which,  from  the  different 
reports  that  I  have  read,  appears  about  this  season  of 
the  year  to  make  between  the  American  coast  and  the 
main  pack  as  far  to  the  northward  as  the  130th  meridian, 
nnless  a  fevorable  opening  should  earlier  appear  in  the 
ice;  which  would  lead  me  to  infer  that  I  might  push 
more  directly  for  Banks'  Land,  which  I  think  is  ot  the 
ntmost  importance  to  thoroughly  examine.  In  the  event 
of  thus  far  succeeding,  and  the  season  continuing  favor- 
able for  further  operations,  it  would  be  my  anxious 
desii*©  to  get  to  the  northward  of  Melville  Ishmd,  and 
resume  our  search  along  its  shores  and  the  islands  adja- 
cent as  long  as  the  navigation  can  be  carried  on,  and 
then  secure  for  the  winter  in  the  most  eligible  position 
which  offers. 

"  2.  In  the  ensuing  spring,  as  soon  as  it  is  practicable 
for  traveling  parties  to  start,  T  Rhould  dispatch  as  many 
as  the  state  of  the  crew  will  admit  of  in  diiferent  direc- 
tions, each  being  provided  with  forty  days'  provisions, 
with  directions  to  examine  minutely  all  bays,  inlets  and 
islands  toward  the  northeast,  ascending  occasioi'ally 
some  of  the  highest  points  of  land,  so  as  to  btj  enablca 
to  obtaia  extended  views,  being  particularly  cautious  in 
t!ieir  advance  to  observe  any  indication  of  a  break  up  in 
the  ice,  so  that  their  return  to  the  ship  may  be  effected 
without  hazard,  even  before  the  expenditure  of  theii 
provisions  would  otherwise  render  it  necessary. 

**  3.  Supposing;  the  parties  to  have  retumetJ  without 


SECOND  TRIP  OF  ENTEKFRiSB  AND  INYESTIOA'TOB.     303 

obtaining  any  clue  of  the  absent  ships,  and  the  vesBel 
liberated  about  the  1st  of  August,  my  object  would  then 
be  to  push  on  toward  Wellington  Inlet,  assuming  that 
that  cnannel  communicates  with  the  Polar  Sea,  and 
search  both  its  shores,  unless  in  doing  so  some  indication 
should  be  met  with  to  show  that  parties  from  any  of 
Captain  Austin's  vessels  had  previously  done  so,  when 
I  should  return,  and  endeavor  to  penetrate  in  the  direc- 
tion of  Jones'  Sound,  carefully  examining  every  place 
that  was  practicable.  Should  our  efforts  to  reach  this 
point  be  successful,  and  in  the  route  no  traces  are  dis- 
cernible  of  the  long  missing  expedition,  I  should  not 
then  be  enabled  longer  to  divest  mj'self  of  the  feelings, 
painful  as  it  must  be  to  arrive  at  such  a  conclusion,  that 
all  human  aid  would  then  be  perfectly  unavailing ;  and 
therefore,  under  such  a  conviction,  I  would  think  it  my 
duty,  if  possible,  to  return  to  England,  or  at  all  events 
endeavor  to  reach  some  port  that  would  insure  that  ob- 
ject upon  the  following  year. 

"4.  In  the  event  of  tnis  being  our  last  communica> 
tion,  I  would  request  you  to  assure  their  lordships  that 
no  apprehensions  whatever  need  be  entertained  of  our 
safety  until  the  autumn  of  1854,  as  we  have  on  board 
three  years  of  all  species  of  provisions,  commencing 
from  tne  1st  of  September  proximo,  which,  without 
much  deprivation,  may  be  made  to  extend  over  a  period 
of  four  years ;  moreover,  whatever  is  killed  by  the  hunt- 
ing pailies,  I  intend  to  issue  in  lieu  of  the  usual  rations, 
which  will  still  further  protract  our  resources. 

"It  gives  me  great  pleasure  to  say  that  the  good 
effects  of  the  fruit  and  vegetables,  (a  large  quantity  of 
which  we  took  on  board  at  Oahu,)  are  very  perceptible 
in  the  increased  vigor  of  the  men,  who  at  tnis  moment 
are  in  as  excellent  condition  as  it  is  possible  to  desire, 
and  evince  a  spirit  of  confidence  and  a  cheerfulness  of 
disposition  which  are  beyond  all  appreciation. 

"  5.  Should  difficulties  apparently  insurmountable  en- 
compass our  progress,  so  as  to  render  it  a  matter  of 
doubt  whether  the  vessel  could  be  extricated,  I  should 
deem  it  expedient  in  that  case  not  to  hazard  the  lives 


Ij 

1     ; 

1 

\l 

■-   i!': 

1 

1  !*■ 

1 

■    5  '  ■ 

i|i 

j 

■V:! 


-'1 


m 


804 


PKOUKUHH   or  AKOriO   UkiOUVEiiT. 


of  those  iutrusted  to  my  charge  after  the  winter  of  1862, 
out  in  the  ensuing  spring  quit  the  vessel  with  sledges 
and  boats,  and  make  the  best  of  our  way  either  to 
Pond's  Bay,  Leopold  Harbor,  the  Mackenzie,  or  for 
whalers,  according  to  circumstances. 

"Finally.  In  this  letter  I  have  endeavored  to  give  an 
outline  of  what  I  wish  to  accomplish,  (and  what,  under 
moderately  favorable  seasons,  appears  to  me  attainable,) 
the  carrying  out  of  which,  however,  not  resting  upon 
human  exertions,  it  is  impossible  even  to  surmise  if  anv, 
or  what,  portion  may  be  successful.  But  my  object  in 
addressing  you  is  to  place  their  Lordships  in  possession 
of  my  intentions  up  to  the  latest  period,  so  far  as  possi- 
ble, to  relieve  their  minds  from  any  unnecessary  anxiety 
as  to  our  fate  ;  and  having  done  this,  a  duty  which  is 
incumbent  from  the  deep  sympathy  expressed  by  their 
Lordships,  and  participated  in  by  all  classes  of  our 
countrymen,  in  the  interesting  object  of  this  expedition, 
I  have  only  to  add,  that  with  the  ample  resources  which 
a  beneficent  government  and  a  generous  country  have 
placed  at  our  disposal,  (not  any  thing  that  can  add  to 
our  comfort  being  wanting,)  we  enter  upon  this  distin- 
guished service  with  a  firm  determination  to  carry  out, 
as  far  as  in  our  feeble  strength  we  are  permitted,  their 
benevolent  intentions. 

"  I  have,  &c, 
'^BoBEBT  M'Clubb,  Commander.^ 


^ITer  McMeatt^s  ship  ^Enterpriser 
^^Oahuy  June  29, 1850. 

"Memorandum. — As  soon  as  Her  Majesty's  ship  under 
your  command  is  fully  complete  with  provisions,  fuel, 
and  water,  you  will  make  the  best  of  your  way  to  Cape 
Lisbume,  keeping  a  good  look-out  for  the  Herald,  or 
casks,  and  firing  guns  in  foggy  weather,  after  passing 
liawrenee  Bay.  The  whalers  also  may  afford  you  infor- 
mation of  our  progress. 

"Should  you  obtain  no  intelligence,  you  will  under- 
stand that  I  intend  to  n»ake  the  pack  close  to  the  Ameri 


DISpATCUBS  ntrm  BNTiCBPBISB  AND  Ur\  MTIQATOil.     805 


can  shore,  and  pursue  the  first  favorable  openini^  west 
of  the  Coast  stream,  pressing  forward  toward  JVSlvilln 
Island.    In  the  event  of  meeting  land,  it  is  most  probr 
hie  that  I  would  pursue  the  southern  shore,  but  conspit 
U0U8  marks  will  be  erected,  if  practicable,  and  informi 
tion  buried  at  a  ten-foot  radius. 

'*  As  it  is  necessary  to  be  prepared  for  the  contin 
gencv  of  your  not  being  able  to  tollow  by  the  ice  clos 
ing  in,  or  the  severity  of  the  weather,  you  will  in  that 
case  keep  the  Investigator  as  close  to  the  edge  of  the 
pack  as  is  consistent  with  her  safety,  and  remain  there 
until  the  season  compels  you  to  depart,  when  vou  will 
look  Into  Kotzebue  Sound  for  the  I*lover,  or  informa- 
tion regarding  her  position  ;  and  liaving  deposited  un- 
der her  cha^e  a  twelve  month's  provisions,  you  will 
proceed  to  Valparaiso,  replenish,  and  return  to  th« 
Sti'ait,  bearing  in  mind  that  the  months  of  June  and 
July  are  the  most  favorable. 

"  A  letter  fi*om  the  hydrographer  relative  to  the  vari- 
ation of  the  compass  is  annexed  ;  and  you  will  boar  in 
mind  that  the  value  of  these  observations  will  he  greatly 
enhanced  by  obtaining  the  variation  with  the  ship's 
head  at  every  second  or  fourth  point  round  the  com- 
pass occasionally,  and  she  should  be  swung  for  devia- 
tion in  harbor  as  often  as  oppoi*tunity  may  offer. 

''  Should  you  not  find  the  rlover,  or  that  anv  casualty 
has  happened  to  render  her  inefficient  as  a  depot,  you 
will  take  her  place  ;  and  if,  (as  Captain  Kellett  sup- 
poses,) Kotzebue  Sound  has  proved  too  exposed  for  a 
winter  harbor,  you  will  proceed  to  Grantley  Harbor, 
leaving  a  notice  to  that  eifect  on  Chamisso  Island. 
The  attention  of  your  oflicere  is  to  be  called,  and  you 
will  read  to  your  ship's  company,  the  remarks  of  Sir 
J.  Richardson  concerning  the  communication  with  the 
Esquimaux,  contained  in  the  arctic  report  received  at 
PI  v  month. 

"  Your  operations  in  the  season  1851,  cannot  be 
guided  by  me,  nor  is  there  any  occasion  to  urge  you  to 
proceed  to  the  northeast ;  yet  it  will  be  highly  desir- 
abV«,  previous  to  entering  the  pack,  that  you  completed 


506 


PROGUESa   OF  AROTIO   DISOOvaRT. 


If 


provisions  from  whalers,  and  obtained  as  mnch  reindoei 
meat  as  possible.  Captain  Kelletrs  narrative  will  point 
out  where  the  latter  is  to  bo  had  in  most  abundance, 
and  whore  coal  can  be  picked  np  on  the  beach  ;  but 
husband  the  latter  article  during  the  winter,  by  using 
all  the  drift-wood  in  your  power. 

"  In  the  event  of  leaving  the  Strait  this  season,  you 
will  take  any  weak  or  sickly  men  out  of  the  Plover 
and  replace  them  from  your  crews,  affording  Com- 
mander Moore  all  the  assistance  in  your  power,  and 
leaving  with  him  Mr.  Miertsching,  the  interpreter  ;  in? 
structions  with  regard  to  whose  accommodations  you 
have  received,  and  will  convey  to  the  captain  of  the 
Plover.  "Richard  Collinaok. 

"  To  Commander  WGlure^  of  Tier 
Majesty^a  ship  *  Investigator*^ 

"  Should  it  be  the  opinion  of  Commander  Moore  that 
the  services  of  the  Investigator's  ship's  company  in  ex- 
ploring parties  during  the  spring  would  be  attended 
with  material  benefit  to  the  object  of  the  expedition, 
he  will,  notwithstanding  these  orders,  detain  you  for 
that  purpose  ;  but  care  must  be  taken  that  your  effi- 
ciency as  a  sailing  vessel  is  not  crippled  by  the  parties 
not  returning  in  time  for  the  opening  of  tne  sea. 

«  R.  C." 


**  Her  Majesty's  discovery  ship  *  Investigator,^  July 
28,  1850.  Kotsebue  Sounds  latitude  QQ"^  64'  if^ 
longitude  IQ^""  W. 

"  Sir, —  I  have  the  honor  to  acquaint  you,  for  the  in- 
fonnation  of  the  Lords  Commissioners  of  the  Admi- 
ralty, that  to  this  date  we  have  had  a  most  excellent 
run.  Upon  getting  clear  of  Oahu,  on  the  morning  of 
the  6th,  we  shaped  a  course  direct  for  the  Aleutian 
group,  passing  them  in  172°  40'  "W.,  upon  the  evening 
o^  the  20th  ;  continued  our  course  with  a  fine  south- 
eneterly  brteeze,  but  extremely  thick  and  foggy  weather, 
fwhich  retarded  the  best  of  our  way  being  made.)  Got 
fairly  out  of  Behring's  Strait  upon  the  evening  of  th« 


VOYAOE   OF  TlIE   PLOVER,  ETC. 


807 


27th,  and  are  now  in  a  fair  way  of  realiziug  their  Lord* 
sliips'  expevtations  of  reaching  the  ice  by  the  begin- 
ning of  August,  our  progress  ueing  advanced  bv  the 
favorable  circumstances  of  a  fine  southerly  wind  and 
tolerably  clear  weather.  The  latter  wo  have  known 
nothing  of  since  the  19th,  which,  I  can  assure  you,  ren- 
dered the  navigation  among  the  islands  a  subject  of 
much  and  deep  anxiety,  seldom  having  a  horizon  above 
480  yards,  that  just  enabled  the  dark  outline  of  the  land 
to  be  observed  and  avoided. 

"  It  is  with  much  satisfaction  that  I  report  the  good 
qualities  of  tliis  vessel,  having  well'  tried  her  in  the 
heavy  gales  experienced  during  five  weeks  off  Cape 
Horn,  and  in  moderate  weather  among  the  intricate 
navigation  of  these  islands,  where  so  much  depended 
upon  her  quick  obedience  to  the  helm,  although  laden 
with  every  species  of  stores  and  provisions  for  upward 
of  three  years.  From  these  circumstances  I  am,  there- 
fore, fully  satisfied  she  is  as  thoroughly  adapted  for  this 
service  as  could  be  reasonably  wished. 

"  I  have  not  seen  any  thing  of  the  Enterprise,  nor  is 
it  my  intention  to  lose  a  moment  by  waiting  off  Cape 
Lisbumo,  but  shall  use  my  best  endeavors  to  carry  out 
the  intentions  contained  in  my  letter  of  the  20tn,  of 
which  I  earnestly  trust  their  Lordships  will  approve. 

"  I  am  happy  to  be  able  to  state  that  the  wnole  crew 
are  in  excellent  health  and  spiri'ts,  and  every  thing  af 
satisfactory  as  it  is  possible  to  desire.. 

"  1  have,  &c., 
**  KoBEBT  M'Clubk,  Uonmuinder. 

*  2*he  S^wetary  of  tks  Admiralty?^ 

Voyage  oi  H.  M.  S.  "  Plover,"  and  Boa*  •  ExPEDitioRi 
unijeb  Commander  Pulijsn,  1848-  51. 

In  the  copy  of  the  instructions  issued  from  the  Ad- 
miralty to  Lieutenant,  (now  Commander,)  Moore,  of 
the  Plover,  dated  3d  of  January,  1848,  he  was  directed 
to  make  the  best  of  his  way  to  Petropaulowski,  touch- 
ing at  Panama,  where  she  ^'as  to  be  ]oI<ied,  by  H.  M. 


808 


PROOREfiS  OF  AUOriO   DISGOTSBT. 


8.  Ilertild,  and  afterward  both  vessels  were  to  procend 
to  Bell  ring's  Strait,  where  they  were  expected  to  arrivo 
about  tiie  Ist  of  July,  and  then  push  along  the  Ameri- 
can coast,  as  far  as  possible,  consistent  with  tlio  cer- 
tainty of  preventing  the  ships  being  beset  by  the  let* 
The  Flover  was  then  to  be  secured  for  the  winter  in 
some  safe  and  convenient  port  from  whence  boat  par- 
ties might  bo  dispatched,  and  the  Herald  was  to  return 
and  transmit,  via  Panama,  any  intelligence  necessary 
to  England.  Great  caution  was  ordered  to  be  observed 
in  communicating  with  tho  natives  in  the  neighborhood 
of  Kotzebue  Sound,  should  that  quarter  be  visited,  as 
the  people  in  that  part  of  the  country  differ  in  charac- 
ter from  the  ordinary  Esquimaux,  in  being  compara- 
tively a  fierce,  agile,  and  suspicious  race,  well  armed 
with  knives,  &c.,  for  offense,  and  prone  to  attack. 
They  were  also  ordered  to  take  interpreters  or  guides 
from  a  small  factory  of  the  Kuosian- American  Company 
in  Norton  Sound. 

The  Plover  was  safely  ensconced  for  the  winter  of 
1849-50  in  Kotzebue  Sound,  after  tho  termination  of  a 
hard  season's  work.  She  had,  conjointly  with  the  Her- 
ald, discovered  to  the  north  of  Sehring's  Strait,  two 
islands,  and  several  apparently  disconnected  patches 
of  very  elevated  ground.  Lieut.  Pullen  had  previously 
quitted  her  oft'  Wainwright  Inlet,  with  four  boats,  for 
tne  purpose  of  prosecutmc  his  adventurous  voyage 
along  the  coast  to  the  mouth  of  the  Mackenzie  River, 
where  he  arrived  safely  on  tho  26th  of  August,  after  a 
perilous  navigation  of  tnirty-two  days,  but  had  obtained 
no  clue  or  intelligence  regarding  the  prime  object  of  his 
expedition.  At  a  later  date  he  encountered  at  Fort 
Simpson,  higher  up  the  river.  Dr.  Rae,  and  gathered 
from  tha*(  gentleman  that  the  party  led  by  him  down 
the  Coppermine,  with  the  view  of  crossing  over  to  Vic 
toria  or  Wollaston  Land,  had^  owing  to  the  unusual 
difficulties  created  by  the  more  than  customary  rigor  of 
the  season,  met  with  entire  failure  ;  tbe  farthest  point 
attained  being  Cape  Krusenstem. 

Lient.  Pullen  is  occupied  during  the  present  year  in 


TOTAOE  OF  THE  PLOVER,  ETC. 


809 


1^  jonriK^j  from  the  mouth  of  the  Mackenzie  eastward,  • 
along  the  arctic  coast,  as  far  as  Cupo  Bathnrst,  and  this 
being  successfully  accomplished,  he  purposes  attempt- 
ing to  cross  the  intervening  space  to  BanKs'  Laud.    He 
is  lurnished  with  two  boats,  both  open. 

Lieut.  W.  H.  Hooper,  one  of  the  party,  in  a  recent 
letter  to  his  father  in  London,  writing  from  Great  Slave 
Lake,  under  date  June  27, 1850,  gives  some  further  do- 
tails  of  their  proceedings.  Havmg  had  considerable 
trouble  and  a  slight  skirmish  with  some  parties  of  Es- 
quimaux, thev  were  obliged  to  be  continually  on  the 
watch.  At  the  end  of  August,  the  party  entered  tlie 
Mackenzie  River,  and  in  a  tew  days  reached  one  of  the 
Hudson's  Bay  Company's  posts  on  the  Peel  River,  a 
branch  of  the  Mackenzie,  where  Commander  Pullen 
left  Lieut.  Hooper  and  half  the  party  to  winter,  while 
he  proceeded  farther  up  the  river  to  a  more  important 
post  at  Fort  Simpson.  After  remaining  at  Peel's  River 
station  about  a  foi-tnight,  Mr.  Hooper  found  that  his 
party  could  not  bo  maintained  throughout  the  winter 
there,  and  in  consequence  determined  on  following 
Capt.  Pullen,  but  was  only  able  to  reach  Fort  Norman, 
one  of  his  party  being  frost-bitten  on  the  journey. 
They  thence  made  their  way  across  to  Great  Bear  Lake, 
where  they  passed  the  winter,  subsisting  on  fish  and 
water.  Dr.  Kae  arrived  there  as  soon  as  the  ice  broke 
up,  and  the  party  proceeded  with  him  to  Fort  Simpson. 

On  the  20th  or  June,  Commander  Pullen  and  all  his 
party  left  with  the  company's  servants,  and  the  stock  of 
lurs,  on  their  way  to  the  sea,  to  embark  for  England, 
when  they  were  met,  on  the  25th,  by  a  canoe  with  Ad- 
miralty dispatches,  which  caused  them  to  retrace  their 
steps  ;  and  they  are  now  on  their  route  by  the  Great 
Slave  Lake  to  Fort  Simpson,  and  down  the  Mackenzie 
once  more,  to  the  Polar  Sea,  in  search  of  Sir  John 
franklin. 

"  However  grieving,"  Lieut.  Hooper  adds,  "  it  is  to 
be  disappointed  of  returning  home,  yet  I  am  neverthe- 
leBB  delighted  to  go  again,  and  think  that  we  do  not 
hopelessfy  undertake  another  search}  since  our  intondod 


I 


I 


810 


PROGRESS   OF   ARCTIC   DISCOVERT. 


direction  is  considered  the  most  probable  channel  foi 
finding  the  missing  ships  or  crews.  We  ^o  down  tlie 
Mackenzie,  along  Uie  coast  eastward  to  Pomt  Bathurst, 
and  thence  strike  across  to  "WoUaston  or  Banks  Land. 
The  season  will,  of  course,  much  influence  our  ])roceed- 
ings  ;  but  we  shall  probably  return  up  the  hitherto 
unexplored  river  which  runs  into  the  Arctic  Ocean 
from  Liven^ool  Bay,  between  the  Coppermine  and 
Mackenzie." 

Tlie  latest  official  dispatch  from  Commander  Pullen 
is  dated  Great  Slave  Lake,  June  28th.  lie  had  been 
stopped  by  the  ice,  and  intended  returning  to  Fort 
Simpson  on  the  29th.  One  of  his  boats  was  so  battered 
about  as  to  be  perfectly  useless  ;  he  into-nded  patching 
up  the  other,  and  was  also  to  receive  a  new  boat  be- 
longing to  the  Hudson's  Bay  Company,  from  Foit 
Simpson.  He  had  dismissed  two  of  his  party,  as  they 
were  both  suffering  fi'om  bad  health,  but  proposed  en- 
gaging, at  Fort  Good  Hope,  two  Hare  Indians  as  hunt- 
ers and  guides,  one  of  whom  had  accompanied  Messrs. 
Dease  and  Simpson  on  their  trips  of  discovery  in  183S 
and  1839.  This  would  augment  the  party  to  seventeen 
persons  in  all. 

"  My  present  intentions,"  he  says,  "  are  to  proceed 
down  the  Mackenzie,  along  the  coast,  to  Cape  Bathurst, 
and  then  strike  across  for  Banks'  Land  ;  my  operations 
must  then,  of  course  be  guided  by  circumstances,  but  I 
shall  strenuously  endeavor  to  search  along  all  coasts  in 
that  direction  as  far  and  as  late  as  I  can  with  safety 
venture  ;  returning,  if  possible,  by  the  Mackenzie,  or 
by  tlie  Beghoola,  which  the  Indians  speak  of  as  being 
navigable,  as  its  head  waters  are,  (according  to  Sir  John 
Richardson,)  only  a  nine-days'  passage  from  Fort  Good 
Hope  ;  to  meet  which,  or  a  similar  contingency,  I  take 
enow  shoes  and  sledges,  &q. 

"  In  conclusion,  I  beg  to  assure  their  Lordships  of 
my  earnest  determination  to  carry  out  their  views  to 
the  utmost  of  my  ability,  being  confident,  from  the 
eagerness  of  the  party,  that  no  pains  will  be  si)ared,  no 
necessarv  ?{ibor  nvr^''''o/i^  and,  by  God's  |)les8ing,  we 


isfi^r 


VOYAGE  OF  THE   ri.OrKB,   BXa 


311 


Tmine   and 


hope  to  be  successful  in  discovering  some  tidings  of  our 
gallant  countrymen,  or  even  in  restoring  them  to  their 
native  land  and  anxious  relatives." 

Mr.  Chief  Factor  Kae  was  about  to  follow  Com- 
mander Pullen  and  his  party  from  Portage  La  -Loche. 

Dr.  Kichardson  observes  that  "  Commander  Pullen 
will  require  to  be  fully  victualed  for  at  least  120  days 
from  the  20th  of  July,  when  he  may  be  expected  to 
commence  his  sea  voyage  ;  which,  for  sixteen  men,  will 
require  forty-five  bags  of  pemmican  of  90  lbs.  each. 
Tins  is  exclusive  of  a  further  supply  which  he  ought  to 
take  for  the  relief  of  any  of  Franklin's  people  he  may 
liave  the  good  fortune  to  find.  After  he  leaves  the 
main-land  at  Cape  Bathurst,  he  would  have  no  chance 
of  killing  deer  till  he  makes  Banks'  Land,  or  some  in- 
tervening island  ;  and  he  must  provide  for  the  chance 
of  being  caught  on  the  floe  ice,  and  having  to  make  his 
way  across  by  the  very  tedious  portages,  as  fully  de- 
scribed by  Sir  W.  E.  Parry  in  the  narative  of  his  most 
adventurous  boat  voyage  north  of  Spitzbergen. 

"  Mr.  Rae  can  give  Commander  Pullen  the  fullest 
information  respecting  the  depots  of  pemmican  made 
on  the  coast. 

"  With  respect  to  Commander  PuUen's  return  from 
sea,  his  safest  plan  will  be  to  make  for  the  Mackenzie ; 
hut  should  circumstances  place  that  out  of  his  power, 
the  only  other  course  that  seems  to  me  to  be  practicable 
is  for  him  to  ascend  a  large  river  which  falls  int^  the 
bottom  of  Liverpool  Bay,  to  the  westward  of  Cape  Ba- 
thurst. This  river,  which  is  named  the  Begloola  Deasy 
hv  the  Indians,  runs  parallel  to  the  Mackenzie,  and  in 
the  latitude  of  Fort  Good  Hope,  (06°  80'  N.,)  is  not 
above  five  or  six  days'  journey  from  that  post.  11  are 
Indians,  belonging  to  ^ort  Good  Hope,  might  be  en 
gaged  to  hunt  on  the  banks  of  the  river  till  the  arrival 
of  the  party.  Tlie  navigation  of  the  river  is  unknown ; 
but  even  should  Commander  Pullen  be  compelled  to 
quit  his  boats,  his  Indian  hunters,  (of  which  he  should 
at  least  ongage  two  for  his  sea  voyage,)  will  support 
and  guide  his  party.  "Wood 'and  animals  are  most  cer- 
tainly found  on  the  l>ank8  of  rivers. 


312 


PROGIiliSS   OF  AUCTIO   DISCOVERT. 


PW 


lit 


"It  is  not  likely  that  under  any  circumstances  Com- 
mander  PuUen  should  desire  to  reach  the  Mackenzie 
by  way  of  the  Coppermine  River,  and  this  could  be 
enbctcd  only  by  a  boat  being  ^)laced  at  Dease  River, 
for  the  transport  of  the  party  over  Great  Bear  Lake. 
Tliip  would  require  to  be  arranged  previously  with 
Mr.  Rae ;  and  Commander  Pullen  should  not  be 
later  in  arriving  at  Fort  Confidence  than  the  end  of 
September." 

Voyage  of  the  "Ladt  Franklin'*  and  "SopftiA," 
Government  Vessels,  under  the  command  of  Mr, 
Penny,  1850-51. 

A  vessel  of  230  tons,  named  the  Lady  Franklin,  fit 
ted  out  at  Aberdeen,  with  a  new  brig  as  a  tender,  buill 
at  Dundee,  and  named  the  Sophia,  in  hontT  of  Misf 
S.  Cracroft,  the  beloved  and  attached  niece  of  Ladj 
Franklin,  and  one  of  the  most  anxious  watchers  foi 
tidings  of  the  long  missing  adventurers,  were  purchased 
by  the  government  last  year. 

The  cnarge  of  this  expedition  was  intrusted  to  Cap 
tain  Penny,  formerly  commanding  the  Advice  whaler, 
and  who  has  had  much  experience  in  the  icy  seas,  liav- 
ing  been  engaged  twenty-eight  years,  since  the  age  of 
twelve,  in  the  whaling  trade,  and  in  command  of  ves- 
sels for  fourteen  vears  ;  Mr.  Stewart  was  placed  in 
charge  of  the  Sophia. 

Tlie  crew  of  the  Lady  Franklin  number  twenty-five, 
and  that  of  the  Sophia,  twenty,  all  picked  men. 

These  ships  sailed  on  the  12th  of  April,  1850,  pro- 
visioned and  stored  /or  three  years.  They  were  pro- 
vided with  a  printing  press,  and  every  appliance  to 
relieve  the  tediuir  of  a  long  sojourn  in  the  icy  regions. 

In  the  instructions  issued  by  the  Adnaralty,  it  is 
stated  that  in  accepting  Captain  Parry's  ofler  of  service, 
regard  has  been  had  to  his  long  experience  in  arctic 
navigation,  smi  to  the  great  attention  he  has  paid  to 
the  subject  of  the  missing  ships. 

lie  was  left  in  a  great  mt^asure  to  the  exercise  of  bia 


) 


VOYAGE  OF  THE  EKSOLUTE  AND  ASSIST AKOE,  ETC.      813 

rtwn  jud^nent  and  discretion,  in  combining  the  tiost 
active  and  energetic  search  after  the  Erebus  and  Turror, 
with  a  strict  and  careful  regard  to  tlie  safety  of  the 
ships  and  their  crews  under  his  charge.  He  was  di- 
rected to  examine  Jones'  Sound  at  the  liead  of  Baffin's 
Bay,  and  if  possible,  penetrate  tlirough  to  the  Parry 
Islands  ;  failing  in  this,  he  was  to  try  Wellington  Strait, 
and  endeavor  to  reach  Melville  Island.  He  was  to  use 
his  utmost  endeavors,  (consistent  with  the  safety  of  the 
lives  of  those  intrusted  to  his  command,)  to  succor,  in 
the  summer  of  1850,  the  party  under  Sir  John  Frank- 
lin, taking  care  to  secure  his  winter-quarters  in  good 
time  ;  and  2dly,  the  same  active  measures  were  to  be 
used  in  the  summer  of  1851,  to  secure  the  return  of  the 
fillips  under  his  charge  to  this  country. 

Tlie  Lady  Franklin  was  oft*  Cape  York,  in  Baffin's 
Bay,  on  the  13th  of  August.  From  thence  she  pro- 
ceeded, in  company  with  H.  M.  S.  Assistance,  to  W ol- 
stenholmo  Sound.  She  afterward,  in  accordance  with 
her  instructions,  crossed  over  to  the  west  with  the  in- 
tention of  examining  Jones'  Sound,  but  owing  to  the 
accumulation  of  ice,  was  unable  to  approach  it  within 
twenty-five  miles.  This  was  at  midnight  on  the  18th. 
She,  therefore,  continued  her  voyage  to  Lancaster 
Sound,  and  onward  to  Wellington  Channel,  where  she 
was  seen  by  Commander  Forsyth,  of  the  Prince  Albert, 
)n  the  25th  of  August,  with  her  tender,  and  H.  M.  S 
Assistance  in  company,  standing  toward  CapeHotham. 


( 


V"oYAQE  OF  IT.  M.  Ships  "  Resolute  "  and  "  Assistance," 
WITH  THE  Steamers  "Pioneer"  and  "Intrepid" 
as  Tenders,  under  command  of  Captain  Austin, 
1850-51. 

Two  fine  teak-built  ships  of  about  500  tons  each,  th 
Baboo  and  Ptarmigan,  whose  names  were  altered  tc 
Ihe  Assistance  and  Resolute,  were  purchased  l)y  the 
iroTornment  in  1850,  and  sent  to  the  naval  yards  to  be 
oroperly  fitted  for  the  voyage  to  the  polar  regions. 

Two  screw-propeller  steamers,  intended  to  accompany 


r 


814 


PBOOBBSS  OF  ABOriO  DI800TE&T. 


these  vessels  as  steam  tenders,  were  also  pnrchased.  and 
similarly  fitted  ;-  their  names  were  changed  from  the 
Eider  and  Free  Trade  to  the  Pioneer  and  Intrepid. 

The  command  of  this  expedition  was  intrusted  to 
Captain  Horatio  T.  Anstin,  C.  B.,  who  was  first  Lieu 
tenant  of  the  Fury,  imder  Commander  Hoppner,  ii 
Captain  Sir  E.  Parry's  third  voyage,  in  1824-26.  The 
vessels  were  provisioned  for  three  years,  and  their  at- 
tention was  also  directed  to  the  depots  of  stores  lodged 
by  Sir  James  Ross  at  Leopold  Island,  and  at  Navy 
Board  Inlet  by  the  North  Star.  The  ships  sailed  in 
May,  1850.  Ine  officers  employed  in  them  were  as 
follows : — 

Hesohite, 

Captain  —  Horatio  T.  Austin,  0.  B. 

Lieutenants  —  R.  D.  Aldrich,  and  "W.  H.  J.  Browne. 

Mates  —  K.  B.  Pearse,  and  W.  M.  May. 

Purser — J.  E.  Brooman. 

Surgeon  —  A.  R.  Bradford. 

Assistant,  ditto—  Richard  'Kins, 

Midshipmen  —  0.  BuUock,  J.  P.  Oheyoa. 

Second  Master — G.  F.  M'Dougall. 

Total  complement,  60  men. 

Pioneer^  screw  steamer. 

Lient.-Commandins  —  Sherard  Osborn. 
Second  Master  —  j.  H.  AUard. 
Assistant-Surgeon  —  F.  R.  Picthpnu 

AsHstanoe. 
Captain  —  E.  Ommaney. 
Lieutenants  — J.  E.  Elliot,  F.  L.  M*01intock,  and 

G.  F.  Mecham. 
Surgeon  —  J.  J.  L.  Donnett 
Assistant,  ditto — J.  "Ward,  (a.) 
Mates  —  R.  V.  Hamilton,  and  J.  K.  Keaii«. 
Clerk  in  Charge — E.  N.  Harrison. 
Second  Master — W.  B.  Shellabear. 
Midshipman  —  0.  R.  Markham. 

Total  complement,  60  men. 


TOTAGE  OF  THE  BESOLDTE  AJ^D  ASSISTANCE,  BTa     31  fi 


Intrepid^  screw  steamer. 
Lieut-Commander — B.  Cator. 
Each  of  the  tenders  had  a  crew  of  30  men. 

Two  ot  the  oflScers  appoiuted  to  this  expedition,  Lieu- 
tenants Browne  and  M/Clintock,  were  in  the  Enterpriso 
under  Captain  Sir  James  C.  Ross  in  4843. 

The  Emma  Eugenia  transport  was  dispatched  in  ad- 
vance with  provisions  to  the  wbale-Fish Islands, to  await 
tlie  arrival  of  the  expedition. 

It  having  been  suggested  by  some  parties  that  Sir 
John  Franklin  mi»ht  have  effected  his  passage  to  Mel- 
ville Island,  and  been  detained  there  with  liis  sliips, 
or  that  the  ships  might  have  been  damaged  by  the  ice 
in  the  neighboring  sea,  and  that  with  his  crews  ho  had 
abandoned  them  and  made  his  escape  to  that  idland, 
Captain  Austin  was  specially  instructed  to  use  every 
exertion  to  reach  this  island,  detaching  a  portion  of  his 
sliips  to  search  the  shores  of  Wellington  Channel  and 
the  coast  about  Cape  Walker,  to  which  point  Sir  John 
Franklin  was  ordered  to  proceed. 

Advices  were  first  received  from  the  Assistance,  aftei 
her  departure,  dated  5th  of  July ;  she  was  then  making 
her  way  to  the  northward.  Tlie  season  was  less  favor- 
able for  exploring  operations  than  on  many  previous 
years.  But  little  ice  had  been  met  with  in  Davis' 
Strait,  where  it  is  generally  found  in  large  quantities, 
so  that  obstacles  ot  a  serious  nature  may  be  expected 
to  the  northward.  Penny's  ships  had  been  in  company 
with  them. 

Ice  is  an  insurmountable  barrier  to  rapid  progress ; 
fortificiitions  may  be  breached,  but  huge  masses  of  ice, 
5iOO  to  GOO  feet  high,  are  not  to  be  overcome. 

On  the  2d  of  July  the  Assistance  was  towed  beneath 
a  ])eri)cndicular  cliff  to  the  northward  of  Cape  Shackle- 
ton,  rising  to  the  height  of  1500  feet,  which  was  ob- 
served to  De  crowded  with  the  foolish  guillemots,  ( Uria 
troile.)  When  the  ship  hooked  on  to  an  iceberg  for  the 
night,  a  party  sent  on  shore  for  the  purpose  brought  off 
260  birds  ana  about  twenty  dozen  oi  their  eggs.  These 
birds  only  lay  one  egg  each .    ,^^ 


ti 


,816 


PROOKK88   OF   AKdlO    DISCOVKKY. 


I  ft 


The  following  official  dispatch  has  been  iince  received 
from  Captain  Ommanej : — 

^^HerMaje8t/y^8  ship  ^Assistances  off  Lcmcaster  Sounds 
laUiAide  W  46'  iV.,  longitude  76®  49'  IT.,  August 
17,  1850. 

"  Sir, —  I  have  the  honor  to  acquaint  you,  for  the  in* 
formation  of  the-^Lords  Commissioners  of  the  Admi- 
ralty, that  her  Majesty's  ship  Assistance,  and  her  tender, 
her  Majeaty's  steam-vessel  Intrepid,  have  this  day  suc- 
ceeded in  effecting  a  passage  across  to  the  west  water, 
and  are  now  proceeding  to  Lancaster  Sound.  Officers 
and  crews  all  well,  witn  fine  clear  weather,  and  open 
water  as  far  as  can  be  seen. 

"  Agreeably  with  instructions  received  from  Captain 
II.  Austin,  we  parted  company  on  the  15th  instant,  at 
one  A.  M.,  off  Cape  Dudley  Diggs,  as  the  ice  was  then 
sufficiently  open  to  anticipate  no  farther  obstruction  in 
eftectin  w  the  north  passage.  He  was  anxious  to  proceed 
to  Pond"s  Bay,  and  thence  take  up  the  examination  along 
the  south  snores  of  Lancaster  Sound,  leaving  me  to 
ascertain  the  truth  of  a  report  obtained  from  the  Esqui- 
maux at  Cape  York  respecting  some  ship  or  ships  hav- 
ing been  seen  near  "WolstenhoTme  Island,  after  wnich  to 
proceed  fco  the  north  shores  of  Lancaster  Sound  and 
Wellington  Channel. 

"  On  passing  Cape  York,  (the  14th  inst.,)  natives  wer^ 
eeen.  By  the  directions  of  Captain  Austin  I  landed, 
and  communicated  with  them,  when  we  were  informed 
that  they  had  seen  a  ship  in  that  neighborhood  in  the 
spring,  and  that  she  was  housed  in.  Upon  this  intelli- 
gence I  shipped  one  of  the  natives,  who  volunteered  to 
joi  1  us  as  interpreter  and  guide. 

"On  parting  with  Captain  Austin  we  proceeded 
toward  Wolstenholme  Island,  where  I  left  the  ship  and 
proceeded  in  her  Majesty's  steam- vessel  Intrepia  into 
Wolstenholme  Soundj  and  by  the  guidance  of  the  Esqui- 
aiaux,  succeeded  in  finding  a  bay  about  thirteen  miles 
*irther  in,  and  sheltered  by  a  prominent  headland.  In 
the  cairns  erected  here  we  found  a  docum«nt  stating 


▼OYAOB   OF  THE  RESOLUTE   AND   ASSISTANCE,  KTO.   317 

that  the  North  Star  had  wintered  in  the  bay,  a  copy 
of  wliich  I  have  the  honor  to  transmit  to  tneir  Lord- 
shi  [ye. 

"  Previous  to  searchinff  the  spot  where  the  North  Stai 
wintered,  I  examined  tne  deserted  Esquimaux  settle- 
ment. At  this  spot  we  found  evident  traces  of  soma 
ehij)  having  been  in  the  neighborhood,  from  empty  pre- 
B(M-ved  meat  canistera  and  some  clothes  left  near  a  pool 
cf  water,  marked  with  the  name  of  a  corporal  belonging 
to  the  North  Star. 

"  Having  ascertained  this  satisfactory  information,  1 
returned  to  Wolstenholme  Island,  where  a  document  was 
clt'])08ited  recording  our  proceedings.  At  6  a.  m.,  of  the 
lOfli  inst.,  I  rejoined  the  ship,  and  proceeded  at  two  to 
tlie  westward,  and  am  happy  to  inform  you  that  the 
passage  across  has  been  made  without  obstruction,  tow- 
ing til  rough  loose  and  straggling  ice. 

"  The  expedition  was  beset  in  Melville  Bay,  sur- 
rounded by  heavy  and  extensive  floes  of  ice,  from  the 
11th  of  July  to  the  0th  of  August,  1850,  when,  after 
great  exertion,  a  release  was  efi'ected,  and  we  succeeded 
in  reaching  Cape  York  by  continuing  along  the  edge  of 
the  land-ice,  after  whicn  we  have  oeen  favored  v'*^ 
[)lenty  of  water. 

"  Captain  Penny's  expedition  was  in  company  during 
the  most  part  of  the  time  while  in  Melville  Bay,  and  up 
to  the  14th  inst.,  when  we  left  him  off  Cape  Dudley 
Dinrjrs  —  all  well. 

"  In  crossing  Melville  Bay  we  fell  in  with  Sir  John 
Ross  and  Captain  Forsyth's  expeditions.  These  Capt. 
Austin  has  assisted  by  towing  them  toward  their  desti- 
nations. The  latter  proceeded  with  him,  and  the  former 
has  remained  with  us. 

"•  Having  placed  Sir  John  Ross  in  a  fair  way  of 
reaching  Lancaster  Sound,  with  a  fair  wind  and  open 
water,  liis  vessel  has  been  cast  off  in  this  position.  I 
shall,  therefore,  proceed  with  all  dispatch  to  the  exami- 
nation of  the  north  shores  cf  Lancaster  Sound  and 
Wellington  Channel,  according  to  Captain  Austin's 
directions. 


818 


PBOOBsas  or  ABcno  dibooyebt. 


**!  have  the  honor  to  be,  Sir,  your  most  obedient 
nnmble  servant 

"  Ebabxub  Ommanst,  Oaptain.** 

The  Besolntfrgot  clear  of  the  Orkoevs  on  the  15th  of 
May,  and  arrivea  with  her  consort  and  the  two  tenders 
at  the  Whale-Fish  Islands  on  the  14th  of  June 

The  Resolute  was  in  Possession  Bay  on  the  17th  of 
Auf;u8t.  From  thence  her  proposed  course  was  along 
the  coast,  northward  and  westward,  to  Whaler  Point, 
situated  at  the  southern  extremity  of  Port  Leopold,  and 
afterward  to  Melville  Island. 

In  order  to  amuse  themselves  and  their  comrades,  the 
oflBcers  of  tlie  Af^sistance  had  started  a  MS.  newspaper, 
under  the  name  of  the  "  Aurora  Borealis."  Many  of 
my  readers  will  have  heard  of  the  "  Cockpit  Herald," 
and  such  other  productions  of  former  days,  in  his  Majes- 
ty's fleet.  Parry,  too,  liad  his  journal  to  beguile  the 
long  hours  of  the  tedious  arctic  winter. 

ihave  seen  copies  of  this  novel  specimen  of  the 
'fourth  estate,"  dated  Baffin's  Bay,  June,  1850,  in  which 
there  is  a  happy  mixture  of  grave  and  gay,  prose  and 
verse  ;  numerous  very  fair  acrostics  are  published.  I 
append,  by  way  of  curiosity,  a  couple  of  extracts  : — 

"  What  insect  that  Noah  had  with  him,  were  these 
regions  named  after  ?  — ^The  arc-tic." 

"  To  tli4  editor  of  the  Aurora  BoreaUa, 

*'  Sib, —  Having  heard  from  an  arctic  voyager  that  he 
has  seen  *  crows'-nests'  in  those  icy  regions,  I  beg  to 
inquire  through  your  columns,  if  they  are  built  by  the 
crows,  {Corvu8  tintinnahulus^  which  Good  sir  states  to 
utter  a  metallic  bell-like  croak?  My  fast  friend  begs 
me  to  inauire  when  rook  shooting  commences  in  those 
diggings  ? 

"  A  Natubaust. 

["  We  would  recommend  to '  A  Naturalist '  a  visit  to 
tliepe  *  croMVs'-nesjttJ,'  which  do  exist  in  the  arctic  regions, 
\Te  woujd  ai9o  advise  his  fast  friend  to  investigate 


»■'■ 


TOYAOS  OF  SIB  JOHN  BOSS  IN  THB  FAUX,  ETC.    319 


BT. 

lit  to 

tons. 

rate 


theRe  «aid  nests  more  tborouffbly ;  he  wOuld  find  tbom 
tenanted  by  very  old  birds  pee  quarter-masters,)  who 
would  not  only  inform  bim  as  to  the  species  of  crows 
and  the  sporting  season,  but  would  give  them  a  fair 
chance  of  showing  him  how  a  pigeon  may  be  plucked. 
—  Editob."] 

VOTAGK  OP  OaFTAIN    SiB    JoHN  Bo68  IN  THB  ''FeLIX" 
PBIVATB  SOHOONEB,   1850-51. 

In  April,  1850,  Captain  Sir  John  Ross  having  vol- 
nnteerea  bis  services  to  proceed  in  the  search,  was  en- 
abled, by  the  liberality  of  the  Hudson's  Bay  Company, 
who  contributed  500^.,  and  public  subscription,  to  leave 
England  in  the  Felix  schooner,  of  120  tons,  with  a 
picked  crew,  and  accompanied  by  Commander  C.  Ger- 
vans  Phillips,  R.  K.  She  also  bad  the  Mary,  Sir  John's 
own  yaclit  of  twelve  tons,  as  a  tender.  Mr.  Abernethj 
proceeded  as  ice-master,  having  accompanied  Sir  John 
in  his  former  voyage  to  Boothia;  and  Mr.  Sivewright 
was  mate  of  the  Felix.  The  vessels  sailed  from  Scot- 
land on  the  23d  of  May,  and  reached  Holsteinborg  in 
June,  where  Captain  Ross  succeeded  in  obtaining  a 
Danish  interpreter  who  understood  the  Esquimaux 
language;  he  then  proceeded  on,  culling  at  the  Whale- 
Fish  Islands,  and  passing  northway  through  the  Way- 
gatt  Strait,  overtook,  on  the  10th  of  August,  H.  M. 
ships  Assistance  and  Resolute,  with  their  tenders  the 
Intrepid  and  Pioneer,  under  the  command  of  Captain 
A-ustin. 

On  the  13th  of  August,  Captain  Ommaney  in  the 
Assistance,  and  Sir  John  Ross  in  the  Felix,  being 
somewhere  off  Cape  York,  observed  three  male  Es- 
quimaux on  the  ice  close  by,  and  with  these  people 
it  was  prudently  resolved  to  communicate.  Accord- 
ingl}'^.  Lieutenant  Cator  in  the  Intrepid  steamer,  tender 
to  the  Assistance,  and  Commander  Phillips  in  the 
whale-boat  of  the  Felix,  put  otF  on  this  service.  The 
Intrepid's  people  arrived  first,  but  apparently  without 
any  means  of  expressing  their  desires,  so  that  when  the 


li 


.,1 

i 


II 


11 


t^■t 


820 


PR00Rl!S8  OF  ABCTftO  DtSOOVlEEt. 


boat  of  the  Felix,  containing  an  Esquimaux  interpreter^ 
joined  the  party,  the  natives  immediately  gave  signs 
of  recognition  and  satisfaction,  came  into  the  Doat  with- 
out the  least  hesitation,  and  engaged  themselves  pre- 
sently in  a  long  and  animated  conversation  with  theii 
countryman  the  interpreter.  Half  an  hour  was  de- 
voted to  this  interchange  of  intelligence,  but  with  no 
immediate  result,  for  the  interpreter  could  only  trans- 
late his  native  language  into  Danish,  and  as  no  person 
in  the  boat  understood  Danish,  the  information  re- 
mained as  inaccessible  as  before.  In  this  predicament 
the  boats  returned  with  the  intention  of  confronting  the 
interpreter — whose  christianized  name  is  Adam  Beek 
—  with  Sir  John  Ross  himself.  As  Sir  John,  however 
was  pushing  ahead  in  the  Felix  toward  Cape  Dudley 
Diggs,  and  as  Adam  appeared  anxious  to  disburden 
himself  of  his  newly  acquired  information,  the  boats 
dropped  on  board  the  rrince  Albert,  another  o^'  the 
exploring  vessels  in  the  neighborhood,  and  there  put 
Adam  in  communication  with  the  captain's  steward, 
John  Smith,  who  "understood  a  little  ot  the  language," 
as  Sir  John  Ross  says,  or  "a  good  deal,"  as  Com 
mander  Phillips  says,  and  who  presently  gave  such  an 
account  of  the  intelligence  as  startled  every  body  on 
board.  Its  purport  was  as  follows; — ^That  in  the  win- 
ter of  1846,  when  the  snow  was  falling,  two  ships  were 
crushed  by  the  ice  a  good  way  off  in  the  direction  of 
Cape  Dudley  Diggs,  and  afterward  burned  by  a  fierce 
and  numerous  tribe  of  natives ;  that  the  ships  in  ques- 
tion were  not  whalers,  and  that  epaulettes  were  worn 
by  some  of  the  white  men ;  that  a  part  of  the  crews 
were  drowned,  that  the  remainder  were  some  time  in 
huts  or  tents  apart  from  the  natives,  that  they  had  guns, 
but  no  balls,  and  that  being  in  a  weak  and  exhausteti 
condition,  they  were  subsequently  killed  by  the  natives 
with  darts  or  arrows.  This  was  the  form  given  to  the 
EsquimSiux  story  by  John  Smith,  captain's  steward  of 
the  Prince  Albert.  Impressed  with  the  importance  of 
these  tidings,  Captain  Ommaney  and  Commander 
Phillips  immediately  made  their  report  to, Captain 


TBTAfln  or  ns  jobdi  bobs  in  thb  feuz,  etc.    321 


M 


Austin  in  the  Besolnte,  whicb  wan  then  in  conipan)r 
with  the  Felix  near  Gape  Dadlej  "Dm^a.  Captain  Aus. 
tin  at  once  decided  upon  investigating  the  credibility 
oi  the  •torYf  and  with  this  view  dispatched  a  message 
to  the  Lady  Franklin,  another  of  the  exploring  ships, 
which  lay  a  few  miles  off,  and  which  had  on  board  a 
regular  fianish  interpreter  This  interpreter  duly  ar- 
rived, bnt  proceeded  forthwith  to  translate  the  story  by 
a  statement  "totally  at  variance"  with  the  interpreta- 
tion of  "  the  other,"  whom,  as  we  are  told,  he  called  a 
liar  and  intimidated  into  silence ;  though  no  sooner  was 
the  latter  left  to  himself  than  he  again  repeated  his 
version  of  the  tale,  and  stoutly  maintained  its  accuracy. 
Meantime  an  additional  piece  of  information  became 
known,  namely,  that  a  certain  ship  had  passed  the  win- 
ter safely  housed  in  Wolstenhulrae  Sound — a  state* 
ment  soon  ascertained  by  actual  investigation  to  be 
perfectly  true.  The  following  is  an  extract  from  a  letter 
from — ' 

Captain  Sir  John  Boas^  R.  N  to  Captain  W.  A.  B. 
Hamilton,  R.  i\r.,  SecreUiry  of  the  Admiralty. 

•*  ^ Felix^  discovery  yacht,  of  Admiralty  Inlet. 
"  Lancaster  &oimd,  August  22. 

**  Sra, — ^I  have  to  acquaint  you,  for  the  information 
of  the  Lords  Commissioners  of  the  Admiralty,  that  the 
Felix  discovery  yacht,  with  her  tender,  the  JVlary,  after 
obtaining  an  Esquimaux  interpreter  at  Ilolsteinborg, 
and  calling  at  Whale-Fish  Islands,  proceeded  north  way 
through  the  Waygatt  Straits,  and  overtook  her  Ala- 
jesty's  discovery  snips,  under  the  command  of  Captain 
Austin  on  the  11th  of  August ;  and  on  the  12th  the 
senior  oflScer  and  the  second  in  command  having  cor- 
dially communicated  with  nie  on  the  best  mode  of 
performing  the  service  on  which  we  are  mutually  em- 
oarked,  arrangements  were  made  and  conchuled  for  a 
simultaneous  examination  of  every  part  of  the  eastern 
side  of  a  northwest  passage  in  which  it  was  probable 
that  the  missing  ships  could  be  bound :  documents  to 


*! 


1 


829 


PB00RBS8   or  AJtOTIO   DISUOTERT. 


that  effect  were  exchanged,  and  Bubseqaently  aMoiM 
to  byOaptainB  Forsyth  and  Penny. 

^  On  toe  13th  of  Augnet  natives  were  discovered  on 
die  ice  near  to  Gape  York,  with  whom  it  was  doemod 
advisable  to  communicate.  On  this  service,  Lieutenant 
Gator,  in  the  Iiitropid,  was  dotachod  on  the  part  of 
Gftptain  Austin,  and  on  my  part  Gomniander  rhilllpB, 
with  our  Esquimaux  interpreter,  in  the  whale-boat  of 
the  Felix,  it  was  found  by  Lieutenant  Gator  that  Gap- 
tain  PenAy  bad  left  with  the  natives  a  note  for  Gaptain 
Austin,  but  only  relative  to  the  state  of  the  navigation ; 
however,  when  Gomraander  Phillips  arrived,  the  Esqui- 
maux, seeing  one  apparently  of  their  own  nation  in  the 
whale-boat,  came  immediately  to  him,  when  a  long 
conversation  took  place,  the  purport  of  which  could 
not  be  made  known,  as  the  interpreter  could  not  ex- 
plain himself  to  any  one,  either  in  the  Intrepid  or  the 
whale-boat,  (as  he  understands  only  the  Danish  besides 
his  own  language,)  until  he  was  brought  on  board  the 
Prince  Albert,  where  John  Smith,  the  captain's  stew- 
ard of  that  vessel,  who  bad  been  some  years  at  the 
Hudson's  Bay  settlement  of  Ohurchill,  and  understands 
a  little  of  the  language,  was  able  to  give  some  expla- 
nation of  Adam  Beek's  information,  which  was  deemed 
of  such  importance  that  Gaptains  Ommaney,  Phillips, 
and  Forsyth,  proceeded  in  the  Lxtrepid  to  the  Kesolute, 
when  it  was  decided  by  Gaptain  Austin  to  send  for  the 
Danish  Interpreter  of  the  Lady  Franklin,  which,  hav- 
ing been  unsuccessful  in  an  attempt  at  chatting  through 
the  ice  to  the  westward,  was  only  a  few  miles  distant. 
In  the  mean  time  it  was  known  that,  in  addition  to  the 
first  information,  a  ship,  which  could  only  be  the  North 
Star,  had  wintered  in  Wolstenholme  Sound,  called  hj 
the  natives  Ourinak,  and  had  only  left  it  a  month  ago. 
This  proved  to  be  true,  but  the  interpretation  of  the 
Dane  was  totally  at  variance  with  the  information  given 
by  the  other,  who,  although  for  obvious  reasons  he  did 
not  dare  to  contradict  the  Dane,  subsequently  main- 
tained the  truth  of  his  statement,  which  indnced  Gap- 
tain Austin  to  dispatch  the  -Intrepid  with  Oa2>taina 


▼OTAOfi  OF  SIB  JOHN    ROSS    IN   THE   FELIX,  KTO.    821 


Mi  on 

omcd 
anant 
rt  of 
illips, 
at  of 
;Oap- 
iptain 
[ition  \ 
Esqui- 
in  the 
k  long 
coula 
lot  ex- 
or  tlio 
resides 
rd  the 
I  Btew- 
|at  the 
stands 
oxpla- 
semcsd 


18  did 
lain- 
Cap* 

btaini 


Oinmaney  and  Phillips,  taking  with  them  both  onr  in- 
terpreters, Adam  Bcek  and  a  young  native  who  had 
been  persuaded  to  come  as  one  cf  the  crew  of  the  As- 
sistance, to  examine  Wolstenholme  Sound.  In  tht 
mean  time  it  had  been  unanimously  decided  that  no 
alteration  should  be  made  in  our  previous  arrangement, 
it  being  obvious  that  while  there  remained  a  chance  of 
saving  the  lives  of  those  of  the  missing  ships  who  may 
he  yet  alive,  a  further  search  for  those  who  had  per- 
ished should  be  postponed,  and  accordingly  the  Reso- 
lute, Pioneer,  and  Prince  Albert  parted  company  on 
the  15th.  It  is  here  unnecessary  to  give  the  omcial  re- 
pci  ts  made  to  me  by  Commander  Phillips,  which  are 
:f  course  transmitted  by  me  to  the  Secretary  of  the 
Hudson's  Bay  Company,  which,  with  the  information 
written  in  the  Esquimaux  language  by  Adam  Beek, 
will  no  doubt  be  sent  to  you  for  their  Lordships'  infor- 
mation ;  and  it  will  be  manifest  by  the«e  reports  thai 
Commander  Phillij)S  has  performed  his  duty  with  sa- 
gacity, circumspection,  and  address,  which  do  him  in- 
nnite  credit,  although  it  is  only  such  as  I  must  have 
expected  from  so  intelligent  an  officer;  and  I  have 
much  satisfaction  in  adding  that  it  has  been  mainly 
owing  to  his  zeal  and  activity  that  I  was  able,  under 
disadvant.'!  s  circumstances,  to  overtake  her  Majes- 
ty's ships,  \  ae  by  his  scientific  acquirements  and  ac- 
curacy in  snrveying,  he  has  been  able  to  make  many 
important  corrections  and  valuable  additions  to  the 
charts  of  the  much-frequented  eastern  side  of  Baffin's 
Bay,  which  has  been  more  closely  observed  and  navi- 
gated by  us  than  by  any  former  expedition,  and,  much 
to  my  satisfaction,  connrminff  the  latitude  aud  longi- 
tude of  every  headland  I  had  an  opportunity  of  laying 
down  in  the  year  1818. 

^^  I  have  only  to  add  that  I  have  mnch  satisfkction 
in  co-operating  with  her  Majesty's  expedition.  With 
such  support  and  with  such  vessels  so  particularly 
adapted  for  the  service,  no  exertion  shall  be  wanting 
on  my  part.  But  I  cannot  conclude  this  letter  without 
acknowledging  my  obligations  to  Commodore  Austin 


'. 


1    1 


PROGRESS  OF   ARWIO   DISCOVERT. 

and  Captain  Oicmaney  for  the  assistance  they  have  af- 
forded me,  and  for  the  cordiality  and  courtesy  with 
which  I  have  been  treated  by  these  distinguished  offi- 
cers and  others  of  the  ships  under  their  orders.  Ani 
mated  as  we  are  with  an  ardent  and  sincere  desire  to 
rescue  our  iraperiied  countrymen,  I  confidently  trust 
»hat  our  united  exertions  and  humble  endeavors  may, 
mder  a  merciful  Providence,  be  completely  successful. 
"I  am,  with  truth  and  regard,  Sir,  your  faithful  and 
o\^edient  servant, 

"John  Ross,  Captain,  R.  N." 

By  the  acoouats  brought  home  by  Commander  For- 
syth from  Ltincaster  Sound,  to  the  25th  of  August,  it 
is  stated  that  Sir  John  Ross,  in  the  Felix,  intended  to 
return  to  England. 

The  ice  was  at  that  period  very  heavy,  extending  all 
around  from  Leopold  Island,  at  the  entrance  of  Regent 
Inlet,  to  Cape  Farewell,  to  the  westward,  so  as  to  pre- 
vent the  possibility  of  any  of  the  vessels  pushing  on  to 
Cape  Walker.  When  the  Prince  Albert  was  between 
Cape  Spencer  and  Cape  Innes,  in  "Wellington  Channel, 
Mr.  Snow  went  at  noon  to  the  mast-head,  and  saw  H. 
M.  Ship  Assistance  as  near  as  possible  within  Cape 
Hotham,  under  a  press  of  sail.  Her  tender,  the  In- 
trepid, was  not  seen,  but  was  believed  to  be  with  her. 
Captain  Penny,  with  his  two  ships,  the  Lady  Franklin 
and  Sophia,  was  endeavoring  to  make  his  way  up  the 
same  Channel,  but  it  was  feared  the  ice  would  ulti- 
mately  be  too  strong  for  him,  and  that  he  would  have 
to  return  home,  leaving  Captain  Austin^s  squadron  only 
to  winter  in  the  ice. 

The  American  man-of-war  brig  Rescue  was  close  be 
set  with  the  ice  near  Cape  Borren. 

The  Pioneer  was  with  the  Resolute  on  the  17th 
An^^t- 


n 


ladr  franklin's  appeal.  to  american  nation.  325 

American  Searchino  Expedition. —  United  States' 
Ships,  "Advance"  and  "Rescue,"  under  the  Com- 
mand OF  Lieutenant  Db  Haven,  1850-61. 

In  the  spring  of  1849,  Lady  Franklin  made  a  toncb 
ing  and  pathetic  appeal  to  the  feelings  of'  the  American 
nation,  in  the  /ollowing  letter  to  the  President  of  the 
Republic :  — 

The  Lady  of  Sir  John  Franklin  to  ths  President, 

^Bedford-place^  London^  4:th  Aprils  1849. 

"Sir, — I  address  myself  to  you  as  the  head  of  a 
great  nation,  whose  power  to  help  me  I  cannot  doubt, 
and  in  whose  disposition  to  do  so  I  have  a  confidence 
which  I  trust  you  will  not  deem  presumptuous. 

"The  name  of  my  husband,  Sir  John  Franklin,  i? 
probably  not  unknown  to  you.  It  is  intimately  con 
nected  with  the  northern  part  of  that  continent  of 
which  the  American  republic  forms  so  vast  and  con- 
spicuous a  portion.  When  I  visited  the  United  States 
three  years  ago,  among  the  many  proofs  I  received  of 
respect  and  courtesy,  there  was  none  which  touched 
and  even  surprised  me  more  than  the  appreciation 
everywhere  expressed  to  irie  of  his  former  services  in 
geographical  discovery,  and  the  interest  felt  in  the  en« 
terprise  in  which  he  was  then  known  to  be  engaged." 
«  «  *  «  « 

[Her  ladyship  here  gives  the  details  of  the  departure 

cf  the  expedition,  and  the  measures  already  taken  for 

its  relief.] 

*  »  *  •  • 

"  I  have  entered  into  these  details  with  the  view  of 
proving  that,  though  the  British  government  has  not 
lorgottan  the  duty  it  owes  to  the  brave  men  whom  it 
has  sent  on  a  perilous  service,  and  has  spent  a  very 
large  sum  in  providing  the  means  for  their  rescue,  yet 
that,  owing  to  various  causes,  the  means  actually  in 
operation  for  this  purpose  are  quite  inadeqiiate  to  meet 
the   extreme  exigence  of  the  case ;   for,  it  must  l>« 


fej'^' 


i 


I 


m 


,i\ 


!?;■* 


IWi 


Ik!!;, 


826 


PBOORE88  OF  ARCl'lO   DISCOVEHT. 


remembered,  that  the  missing  ships  were  victualed  foi 
thr^Q  jears  only,  and  that  nearly  four  years  have  now 
elapsed,  bo  that  the  survivors  of  so  many  winters  in  the 
ice  must  be  at  the  last  extremity.  And  also,  it  must 
be  borne  in  mind,  that  the  channels  by  which  the  ships 
may  have  attempted  to  force  a  passage  to  the  westward, 
or  which  they  may  have  been  compeHed,  by  adverse 
circumstances,  to  take,  are  very  numerous  and  compli* 
eated,  and  that  one  or  two  ships  cannot  possibly,  in  the 
course  of  the  next  short  summer,  explore  them  all. 

"  The  Board  of  Admiralty,  under  a  conviction  of  this 
fact,  has  been  induced  to  oifer  a  reward  of  20,000^. 
sterling  to  any  ship  or  ships,  of  any  country,  or  to  any 
explormg  party  wnatever,  which  shall  render  efficient 
assistance  to  the  missing  ships,  or  their  crews,  or  to  any 
portion  of  them.  This  announcement,  which,  even  if 
the  sum  had  been  doubled  or  trebled,  would  have  met 
with  public  approbation,  comes,  ho\vever,  too  late  for 
our  whalers,  which  had  unfortunately  sailed  before  it 
was  issued,  and  which,  even  if  the  news  should  over- 
take them  at  their  fishing-grounds,  are  totally  unfitted 
for  any  prolonged  adventure,  having  only  a  few  months* 
provision  on  board,  and  no  additional  clothing.  To  the 
American  whalers,  both  in  the  Atlantic  and  Pacific,  I 
look  with  more  hope,  as  competitors  for  the  prize,  be- 
ing well  aware  of  their  numbers  and  strength,  their 
thorough  equipment,  and  the  bold  spirit  of  enterprise 
which  animates  their  crews.  But  I  venture  to  look 
even  beyond  these.  I  am  not  without  hope  that  yon 
will  deem  it  not  unworthy  of  a  great  and  Kindred  na- 
tion to  take  up  the  cause  of  humanity  which  I  plead,  in 
a  na^*  nal  spirit,  and  thus  generously  make  it  your  own. 

"  I  -mnst  nere,  in  gratitude,  adduce  the  example  of 
the  imperial  JRussian  government,  which,  as  I  am  led 
to  hope  by  his  Excellency,  the  Russian  embassador  in 
London,  who  forwarded  a  memorial  on  the  subject,  will 
send  out  exploring  parties  this  summer,  from  the  Asiatic 
side  of  Behring's  Strait,  northward,  in  search  of  the 
lost  vessels.  It  would  be  a  noble  spectacle  to  the 
world,  if  three  great  nations,  possessed  of  the  widest 


i-v>>i  ^ra^jslin's  appeal  to  ameeioaji  nation.  327 


etiitjires  on  the  face  of  the  globe,  were  thus  to  unitt 
their  efforts  in  the  truly  christian  work  of  saving  their 
perishing  fellow-men  Irom  destruction. 

''  It  is  not  for  me  to  suggest  the  mode  in  which  such 
benevolent  efforts  might  oest  be  made.  1  will  only  say, 
liowever,  that  if  the  conceptions  of  my  own  mind,  to 
which  I  do  not  venture  to  give  utterance,  were  realized 
and  that  in  the  noble  competition  which  followed,  Amer 
ican  seamen  had  the  good  fortune  to  w/est  from  us  the 
glory,  as  might  be  the  case,  of  solving  the  problem  of 
5ie  unfound  passage,  or  the  still  greater  glory  of  saving 
our  adventurous  navigators  from  a  lingering  fate  which 
the  mind  sickens  to  dwell  on,  though  I  should  in  eithe' 
case  regret  that  it  was  not  my  own  brave  countrymen 
in  those  seas  whose  devotion  was  thus  rewarded,  yet 
should  I  rejoice  that  it  was  to  America  we  owed  our 
restored  happiness,  and  should  be  forever  bound  to  her 
by  ties  of  affectionate  gratitude. 

"  I  am  not  without  some  misgivings  vhile  I  thus  ad^ 
dress  you.    The  intense  anxieties  of  a  wife  and  of  a 
daughter  may  have  led  me  to  press  too  earnestly  on 
your  notice  the  trials  under  which  we  are  suffering 
(yet  not  we  only,  but  hundreds  of  others,)  and  to  pre- 
sume too  much  on  the  sympathy  which  we  are  assured 
is  felt  beyond  the  limits  of  our  own  land.    Ifet,  if 
you  d 0*3^1  this  to  be  the  case,  you  will  still  find,  I  am 
Bur<     t ,  v'u  in  that  personal  irtensity  of  feeling,  an 
exc        MT  the  fearlessness  with  which  I  have  thrown 
my3c      r    your  generosity,  and  will  pardon  the  how 
^ge  I  thr^j    >ay  to  your  own  high  character,  and  to  thf 
of  the  people  over  whom  you  have  the  distinction  t* 
|}reside.  "  I  have,  &c., 

(Sigiied)  "Jane  Franklih." 

To  «rhich  the  following  reply  was  received  : — 

/  Mr,  Clayton  to  Lady  Jam,e  FramMi/n, 

^  Dep€n'tment  of  State^  Washvngiof^ 
**  26<A  AprU,  1849. 

"  Madam, — ^Your  letter  to  the  President  of  the  United 
States,  dated  April  4th,  1849,  has  been  received  by 


528 


PROGRESS   OP  ARCTIC  DISCOVERT. 


:- 


'it 


him,  and  be  has  instructed  me  to  make  to  jon  the  tol 
lowing  reply  : — 

^^  The  appeal  made  in  the  letter  with  which  yon  havf 
honored  him,  is  such  as  would  strongly  enlist  the  sym 
pathy  of  the  rulers  and  the  people  or  any  porti(»n  of 
the  civilized  world. 

"  To  the  citizens  of  the  United  States,  who  share  b 
largely  in  the  emotions  which  agitate  the  public  minr! 
in  your  own  country,  the  name  of  Sir  Jonn  Franklin 
has  been  endeared  by  his  heroic  virtues,  and  the  suffer- 
ings and  sacrifices  which  he  has  encountered  for  tlie 
benefit  of  mankind.  The  appeal  of  his  wife  and  daugh- 
ter, in  their  distress,  .i  en  borne  across  the  waters, 
asking  the  assistance  oi  kindred  people  to  save  the 
brave  men  who  embarked  in  this  unfortunate  expedi- 
tion ;  and  the  people  of  the  United  States,  who  have 
watched  with  the  deepest  interest  that  hazardous  enter- 
prise, will  now  respond  to  that  appeal,  by  the  expression 
of  their  united  wishes  that  every  proper  effort  may  be 
made  by  this  government  for  the  rescue  of  your  nus- 
band  and  his  companions. 

"  To  accomplish  the  objects  you  have  in  view,  the 
attention  of  American  navigators,  and  especially  of 
our  whalers,  will  be  immediately  invoked".  All  the  in- 
formation in  the  possession  of  this  government,  to 
enable  them  to  aid  in  discovering  the  missing  ships, 
relieving  their  crews  and  restoring  them  to  their  fami- 
lies, shall  be  spread  far  and  wide  among  our  people; 
and  all  that  the  executive  government  of  the  United 
States,  in  the  exercise  of  its  constitutional  powers,  can 
effect,  to  meet  this  requisition  on  American  enterprise, 
skill  and  bravery,  will  be  promptly  undertaken. 

"  The  hearts  of  the  American  people  will  be  deeply 
touched  by  your  eloquent  address  to  their  Chief  Magis- 
trate, and  tney  will  join  with  you  in  an  earnest  prayer 
to  Him  whose  spirit  is  on  the  waters,  tba't  your  husband 
and  his  companions  may  yet  be  restored  to  their  coim 
try  and  their  friend  a. 

"  I  have,  &c., 
«Pii(ned)  **  John  M.  Olaytok ." 


LADY  FBANKLIN  8  APPEAL  TO  AMSRICAN  NATION.   S^f 


I 


'  A  second  letter  was  also  addressed  by  Lady  Franklin 
to  the  President  in  the  close  of  that  year,  after  the  forced 
return  of  Captain  Sir  James  Boss,  from  whose  active 
exertions  so  much  had  been  expected  — 

The  Lady  of  Sir  John  J^rankUn  to  the  President, 
"  Spring  Ga/rdena^  London^  11th  Deo.^  1849. 

"Sm, —  I  had  the  honor  of  addressing  myself  to 
vou,  in  the  month  of  April  last,  in  behalt  of  my  hus- 
band, Sir  John  Franklin,  his  officers  and  crews,  who 
were  sent  by  Her  Majesty's  government,  in  the  spring 
of  1845,  on  a  maritime  expedition  for  a  discovery  of 
the  northwest  passage,  and  who  have  never  since  been 
heard  of. 

"Tjieir  mysterious  fate  has  excited,  I  believe,  the 
deepest  interest  throughout  the  civilized  world,  but  no- 
where more  so,  not  even  in  England  itself,  than  in  the 
United  States  of  America.  It  was  under  a  deep  con« 
viction  of  this  fact,  and  with  the  humble  hope  tnat  an 
appeal  to  those  general  sentiments  would  never  be 
made  altogether  m  vain,  that  I  ventured  to  lay  before 
you  the  necessities  of  that  critical  period,  and  to  ask 
you  to  take  up  the  cause  of  humanity  which  I  pleaded, 
and  generously  make  it  your  own. 

"How  nobly  you,  sir,  and  the  American  people, 
responded  to  that  appeal,  —  how  kindly  and  courteously 
that  response  was  conveyed  to  me, —  is  known  wherever 
our  common  language  is  spoken  or  understood ;  and 
though  difficulties,  which  were  mainly  owing  to  the 
advanced  state  of  the  season,  presented  themselves  after 
your  official  announcement  had  been  made  known  to  our 
government,  and  prevented  the  immediate  execution  of 
your  intentions,  yet  the  generous  pledge  you  had  given 
was  not  altogether  withdrawn,  jmd  hope  still  remained 
to  me  that,  should  the  necessity  for  ren3wed  measures 
continue  to  exist,  I  might  look  again  across  the  waters 
tor  the  needed  succor. 

"A  period  has  now,  alas,  av/ived,  when  our  dearest 
Qopes  as  to  the  safe  return  of  »he  discovery  ships  this 
autumn  are  finally  crushed  b>  the  unexpected,  though 


' 


830 


PROORKSS   OP  AKOTIO   DISOOVEBT. 


forced  return  of  Sir  James  Koss,  without  any  tMio^  ai 
them,  and  also  by  the  close  of  the  arctic  season.  And 
not  only  have  no  tidings  been  brought  of  theif  safety  or 
of  their  fate,  but  even  the  very  traces  of  their  couree 
have  yet  to  be  discovered  ;  for  such  was  the  concur- 
rence of  unfortunate  and  unusual  circumstances  attend- 
ing the  efforts  of  the  brave  and  able  officer  alluded  to, 
that  he  was  not  able  to  reach  those  points  where  indi- 
cations of  the  course  of  discovery  ships  would  most 
probably  be  found.  And  thus,  at  the  close  of  a  second 
reason  since  the  departure  of  the  recent  expedition  of 
search,  we  remain  in  nearly  the  samQ  state  -ot  ignorance 
respecting  the  missing  expetlition  as  at  the  moment  of 
its  starting  from  our  shores.  An*',  in  the  luean  time  our 
brave  countrymen,  whether  clinging  stili  to  their  ships, 
or  dispersed  m  various  directions,  have  entered  upon  a 
fifth  winter  in  those  dark  and  dreary  solitudes,  with 
exhausted  means  of  sustenance,  while  yet  their  expected 
succor  comes  not  I 

^^  It  is  in  the  time,  then,  of  their  grr^atest  peril,  in  the 
day  of  their  extremest  need,  that  I  venture,  encouraged 
by  your  former  kindness,  to  look  to  you  again  for  some 
active  efforts  which  may  come  in  aid  of  those  of  my 
own  country,  and  add  to  the  means  of  search.  Her 
Majesty's  Ministers  have  already  resolved  on  sending 
an  expedition  to  Behring's  Strait,  and  doubtless  have 
other  necessary  measures  in  contemplation,  supported 
as  they  are,  in  every  means  that  can  be  devised  mr  this 
humane  purpose,  by  the  sympathies  of  the  nation,  and 
by  the  generous  solicitude  which  our  Queen  is  known 
to  teel  in  the  fate  of  her  brave  people  imperiled  in  their 
countrv's  service.  But,  whatever  be  the  measures  con- 
terapUijed  by  the  Admiralty,  they  cannot  be  such  as 
will  leave  no  room  or  necessity  for  more,  since  it  is 
onl  V  by  the  multiplication  of  means,  and  those  vigorous 
and  instant  ones,  that  we  can  hope,  at  this  last  stage, 
and  in  this  last  hour,  perhaps,  of  the  lost  navigators' 
existence,  to  snatch  them  from  a  dreary  grave.  And 
surely,  till  the  shores  and  seas  of  those  frozen  regions 
have  been  swept  in  all  directions,  or  jmtil  some  memo 


LIEUTENANT  OSBOKN^S  8UOOESTION8. 


881 


And 
i)ty  or 
louroe 
)ncur- 
ttend- 
ed  to, 
J  indi- 

most 
second 
ion  of 
orance 
lent  of 
me  our 
•  ships, 
upon  a 
>8,  witb 
cpected 


38  con- 

ktch  as 

|e  it  is 

)rons 

stage, 

cators' 

And 

3gion8 

lemo 


rial  be  found  to  attest  their  fate,  neither  England,  who 
sent  them  out,  nor  even  America,  on  whose  snores  thej 
have  been  launched  in  a  cause  which  has  interested  the 
world  for  centuries,  will  deem  the  question  at  r«st 

"  May  it  please  God  so  to  move  the  hearts  and  wills 
of  a  great  and  kindred  people,  and  of  their  chosen 
Chief  Magistrate,  that  they  may  join  heart  and  hand 
in  the  generous  enterprise  I  The  respect  and  admiration 
of  the  world,  which  watches  with  growing  interest  every 
movement  of  your  great  republic,  will  follow  the  chiv- 
alric  and  humane  endeavor,  and  the  blessing  of  them 
who  were  ready  to  perish  shall  come  to  youl 

"  I  have,  &o., 
(Signed)  Janb  Franklik 

^^Hts  Excellency  the  President  of  the  United  States.** 

In  a  very  admirable  letter  addressed  to  Lady  Frank* 
kin  in  February,  1850,  by  Lieut.  Sherard  Osbom,  R.  N., 
occur  the  following  remarks  and  suggestions,  which 
appear  to  me  so  explicit  and  valuable  that  I  publish 
them  entire :  — 

•  

^^  Great  EaUng^  Middlesex,  6th  February,  1860. 

"  My  Dear  Lady  Fbanklin.  —  It  is  of  course  of  vital 
importance  that  the  generous  co-operation  of  the  Ameri- 
cans in  the  rescue  of  Sir  John  Franklin  and  his  crews 
be  directed  to  points  w^hich  call  for  search,  and  at  the 
same  time  give  them  a  clear  field  for  the  exercise  of 
their  energy  and  emulation.  It  would  be  a  pity,  for 
instance,  if  they  should  be  merely  working  on  the  same 
ground  with  ourselves,  while  extensive  portions  of  the 
Arctic  Sea,  in  which  it  is  equally  probable  the  lost  ex- 
pedition may  be  found,  should  be  left  unexamined ;  and 
none,  in  my  opinion,  offers  a  better  prospect  of  success- 
ful search  than  the  coasts  of  Repulse  Bay,  Hecla  and 
Furv  Strait,  Committee  Bay,  Felix  Harbor,  the  estuary 
of  the  Great  Fish  River,  ind  Simpson's  Strait,  with  the 
sea  to  the  northwest  of  it  My  reasons  for  saying  so 
are  as  follows ;  — 

21  N« 


aa2 


rSOOIiBSS  OF  ABGTIO  DISGOYEBT. 


**  Suppose  Sir  John  Franklin  to  have  so  far  carried 
out  the  tenor  of  his  orders  as  to  have  penetrated  south- 
west from  Gape  Walker,  and  to  hayel)een  either  ^  cast 
away,'  or  hopelessly  impeded  by  ice,  and  that  either  in 
the  past  or  present  year  he  found  it  necessary  to  quit 
his  ships,  they  being  anywhere  between  100°  and  108° 
west  longitude,  and  70°  and  73°  north  latitude.    Now, 
to  retrace  his  steps  to  Cape  Walker,  and  thence  to  Ee- 
gent  Inlet,  would  be  no  doubt  the  first  suggestion  that 
would  arise.    Yet  there  are  objections  to  it :  firstly,  he 
would  have  to  contend  against  the  prevailing  set  of  the 
ice,  and  currents,  and  northerly  wind  ;  secondly,  if  no 
whalers  were  found  in  Lancaster  Sound,  how  was  he 
to  support  his  large  party  in  regions  whore  the  musk 
ox^  or  reindeer  is  never  seen?   thirdly,   leaving  his 
ihipsin  the  summer,  he  knew  he  could  only  reach  the 
whaling  ground  in  the  fall  of  the  year  ;  and,   in  such 
case,  would  it  not  be  advisable  to  make  rather  for 
the  southern  than  the  northern  limit  of  the  seas  vis- 
ited by  the  whalers?   fourtiily,  by  ed^in^  to  the  south 
rather  than  the  north,  Sir  John  I'ranklin  would  be 
falling  back  to,  rather  than  going  from,  relief,  and.in- 
orease  tJw  probabilities  of  providing  for  hi«i  large 
party. 

"I  do  not  believe  that  he  would  have  decided  on  going 
due  youth,  because  the  lofty  land  of  Victoria  Island 
was  in  his  road,  and  when  he  did  reach  the  American 
shore,  he  would  only  attain  a  desert,  of  whose  hori-ora 
he  no  doubt  retained  a  vivid  recollection ;  and  a 
lengthy  land  journey  of  more  than  1000  miles  to  the 
Hudson's  Bay  settlements  was  more  than  his  men  were 
capable  of. 


UEUTENAl^T   OSfiOiUi  S  SUGGESTIONS. 


333 


•lean 
rrora 
id  a 
tlie 
were 


by  Kaquimuux  and  migratory  animals  ;  and  this  route 
is  through  the  ^Strait  of  Sir  James  Boss,'  across  the 
narrow  isthmus  of  Boothia  Felix,  Twhich,  as  you  re- 
minded me  to-day,  was  not  supposed  to  exist  when  Sir 
John  Franklin  left  England,  and  has  been  since  discov- 
ered,)  into  the  Gulf  ot  Boothia,  where  he  could  either 
pass  Ijy  Hecla  and  Fury  Strait  into  the  fishing-ground 
of  Hudson's  Strait,  or  else  so  southward  down  Commit- 
tee Bay,  across  the  Bae  Isthmus  into  Bcuulse  Bay,  and 
endeavor  from  there  to  reach  some  vessels  in  Hudson's 
Bay,  or  otherwise  Fort  Churchill. 

"  It  is  not  unlikely  either,  that  when  Franklin  had 
got  to  the  eastern  extremity  of  James  Boss's  Strait, 
and  found  the  land  to  be  across  his  path  where  he  had 
expected  to  find  a  strait,  that  his  party  might  have  di- 
viaed,  and  the  more  active  portion  of  them  attempted 
to  ascend  the  Great  Fish  Kiver,  where  we  have  Sir 
George  Back's -authority  for  supposing  they  would  find, 
close  to  the  arctic  shores,  abundance  of  food  in  fish, 
and  herds  of  reindeer,  &c.,  while  the  others  tra^eleci 
on  the  road  I  have  already  mentioned. 

"  To  search  for  them,  therefore,  on  this  line  of  retreat, 
I  should  think  highly  essential,  and  if  neglected  this 
year,  it  must  be  done  next ;  and  if  not  done  by  the 
Americansj  it  ought  to  be  done  by  us. 

"  I  therefore  suggest  the  following  plan  : —  Suppose 
a  well-equipped  expedition  to  leave  America  in  May, 
and  to  enter  Hudson's  Strait,  and  then  divide  into  two 
divisions.  The  first  division  mjght  go  northward, 
through  Fox's  Channel  to  Hecla  ana  Fury  Strait,  exam 
ine  the  shores  of  the  latter  carefully,  deposit  provisions 
at  the  western  extreme,  erect  conspicuous  beacons,  and 
proceed  to  Melville  or  Felix  Harbor,  in  Boothia,  secure 
their  vessel  or  vessels,  and  dispatch,  as  soon  as  circum< 
stances  would  allow,  boat  parties  across  the  neck  of 
the  isthmus  into  the  western  waters.  Here  let  them 
divide,  and  one  party  proceed  through  James  Ross's 
Strait,  carefully  examining  the  coast,  and  push  over  sea, 
ice,  or  land,  to  the  northwest  as  far  as  possible.  The 
other  boat  party  to  examine  the  estuary  of  the  Great 


534 


PROGRESS   OF   ARCTIC  DISCOVERT 


!.!h 


I'    t':-. 


Fish  River,  and  thenne  proceed  westward  along  th« 
coast  of  Simpson's  Strait,  and,  if  possible,  examine  the 
broad  bay  formed  between  it  and  Dease's  Strait. 

"The  second  division,  on  parting  company,  might 
pass  south  of  Southampton  Island,  and  coast  along  ttom 
Chesterfield  Inlet  northward  to  Repulse  Bay,  a  boat 
party  with  two  boats  might  cross  Rae  Isthmus  into  the 
bottom  of  Committee  B^ay,  with  instructions  to  visi* 
both  shores  of  the  said  bay,  and  to  rendezvous  at  the 
western  entrance  of  Hecla  and  Fury  Strait.  The  sec- 
ond division  (be  it  one  or  more  vessel8^  should  then 
pass  into  Fox'o  Channel,  and  turning  tnrough  Hecla 
and  Fury  Strait,  pick  up  the  boats  at  the  rendezvous  ; 
and  thence,  if  the  first  division  have  passed  on  all  right, 
and  do  not  require  reinforcement,  the  second  division 
should  steer  northward  along  the  unknown  coast,  ex- 
tending as  far  as  Cape  Kater ;  froin  Cape  Kater  pro- 
ceed to  Leopold  Island,  and  having  secured  their  ships 
there,  dispatch  boat  or  traveling  parties  in  a  direction 
southwest  from  Cape  Rennell,  in  North  Somerset,  be- 
ing in  a  parallel  line  to  the  line  of  search  we  shal! 
adopt  from  L  ipe  Walker,  and  at  the  same  time  it  will 
traverse  the  unknown  sea  beyond  the  Islands  latelj 
observed  by  Captain  Sir  Jatnes  Ross. 

"Some  such  plan  as  this  would,  I  think,  insuie  youi 
gallant  husband  being  met  or  assisted,  should  he  be  to 
the  south  or  the  west  of  Cape  Walker,  and  atteni],t  to 
return  by  a  southeast  course,  a  direction  which,  1  think, 
others  as  well  as  myself  would  agree  in  thinking  a  very 
rational  and  probable  one. 

"I  will  next  speak  of  an  argument  which  has  beer 
brought  forward  in  consequence  of  no  traces  of  the 
missing  expedition  having  been  discovered  in  Lancas- 
ter Sound ;  that  it  is  quite  possible,  if  Franklin,  failed 
in  getting  through  the  middle  ice  from  Melville  Bay  tc 
Lancaster  Sound,  that,  sooner  than  disappoint  public 
anxiety  and  expectation  of  a  profitable  result  arising 
from  his  expeaition,  he  may  have  turned  northward^ 
and  gone  up  Smith's  Sound ;  every  mile  beyond  its  en- 
trance was  now  ground,  and  therefore  a  reward  to  tht 


DEBATE  IN  OONO: 


881 


discoverer.  It  likewise  brought  them  nearer  the  pole, 
and  may  be  they  found  that  open  sea  of  which  Baron 
Wrangel  speaks  so  constantly  in  his  journeys  over  the 
ice  northward  from  Siberia. 

''It  is  therefore  desirable  that  some  vessels  should 
carefully  examine  the  entrance  of  this  sound,  and  visit 
all  the  conspicuous  headlands  for  some  considerable 
distance  within  it;  for  it  ought  to  be  borne  in  mind, 
that  localities  perfectly  accessible  for  the  purpose  of 
erecting  beacons,  &c.,  one  season,  may  be  quite  im- 
practicable the  next,  and  Franklin,  late  in  the  season 
and  pressed  for  time,  would  not  have  wasted  r^'me,  scal- 
ing bergs  to  reach  the  shore  and  pile  up  cairns,  of 
which,  in  all  the  sanguine  hope  of  success,  ne  could  not 
have  foreseen  the  necessity. 

**  Should  any  clue  be  found  to  the  lost  expedition  in 
this  direction,  to  follow  it  up  would,  of  course,  be  the 
duty  of  the  relieving  party,  and  every  thing  would  de- 
pend necessarily  upon  the  judgment  of  the  commanders. 

^'In  connection  with  this  line  of  search,  I  think  ^ 
small  division  of  vessels,  starting  from  Spitzbergen,  and 
pushing  from  it  in  a  northwest  direction,  might  be  of 
great  service ;  for  on  reference  to  the  chart,  it  will  be 
seen  that  Spitzbergen  is  as  near  the  probable  position 
of  Franklin  (if  he  went  north  about,)  on  the  east,  as 
Behring's  Strait  is  upon  the  west ;  and  the  probability 
of  reacning  the  meridian  of  80°  west  from  Spitzbergen 
is  equally  as  good  as,  if  not  better  than,  Behring's  Strait, - 
and,  moreover,  a  country  capable  of  supporting  life 
always  in  the  rear  to  fall  back  upon. 

'^  Shbbabo  Osbobn, 
"Lieutenant  Royal  Navy. 

"To  Lady  Franklin." 

Debate  dt  the  Amebican  CSonqbess. 

The  following  remarks  of  honorable  members  and 
senators,  in  defense  of  the  bill  for  carrying  out  Mr. 
GrinnelPs  expedition,  will  explain  the  grounds  on  which 
the  government  countenance  was  invoked  for  the  noble 
tvndef'taking :  — 


306 


rU00UK36  OF  AlCUTKj  Dlb(X.*\  KBT. 


"Mr.  MiLLEK :  I  prefer  that  th«  goremment  sliould 
have  the  entire  control  of  this  enterprise ;  but,  Sir,  I 
do  not  think  that  can  bo  accomplished ;  at  all  events,  il 
cannot  within  the  time  required  to  produce  the  good 
results  which  are  to  be  hoped  from  this  expedition.  I* 
is  well  known  to  all  that  tne  uncertain  fate  of  Sir  Joha 
Franklin  and  his  companions  has  attracted  the  attentioi* 
and  called  forth  the  sympathies  of  the  civilized  world 
This  government,  Sir,  has  been  indifferent  to  the  call 
An  application,  an  appeal  was  made  to  this  government 
of  no  ordinary  character ;  one  which  was  cheerfullw 
entertained  by  the  President,  and  which  he  was  anxioiw 
should  be  complied  with.  But  it  is  known  to  the  coun 
try  and  to  the  Senate  that,  although  the  Presidetit  had 
every  disposition  to  send  out  an  expedition  in  search 
of  Sir  John  Franklin,  it  was  found  upon  inquiry  tha> 
we  had  no  ships  fitted  tor  the  occasion,  and  that  th# 
Executive  had  no  authority  to  procure  them  for  an  ex- 
pedition of  this  kind,  and  suitable  for  this  sort  of  navi- ' 
gation.  The  Executive  was  therefore  oblio^ed,  forwani 
of  authority  to  build  the  ships,  to  forego  further  actiop 
on  this  noble  enterprise,  until  Congress  should  meet 
and  authorize  the  expedition. 

"In  the  mean  time,  Mr.  Grinnell,  one  of  the  mos* 
respectable  and  worthy  merchants  of  the  city  of  New 
York,  understanding  the  difficulty  that  the  government 
had  in  fitting  out  the  expedition,  has  gone  to  work,  and 
with  his  own  means  has  built  t^o  small  vessels  espe- 
cially prepared  for  the  expedition ;  and  he  now  most 
generously  tenders  them  to  the  government,  not  to  be 
under  his  own  control,  but  the  control  of  the  govern- 
ment^ and  to  be  made  part  of  the  navy  of  the  United 
States.  The  honorable  senator  from  Alabama  (Mr. 
King)  is  mistaken  with  regard  to  the  terms  and  effect 
of  this  resolution.  This  resolution  places  these  two 
ships  under  the  control  of  the  government,  as  much 
BO  as  if  they  were  built  expressly  for  the  navy  of  the 
United  States.  Their  direction,  their  fitting  out,  their 
officers  and  m'^n,  are  all  to  be  under  the  control  of 
tb©  Executive.    Their  o  Ticers  are  to  bo  officers  of  onr 


DEBATE  IN  COMORE88 


3»7 


the 
eh 


navy  — their  seamen  the  seamen  of  our  navj  —  bo  that 
the  expedition  will  be  as  thoroughly  under  the  control  of 
this  government  as  if  the  ships  belonged  to  us.  Now, 
Sir,  1  should  have  no  objections  myself  to  amend  this 
resolution  so  as  to  authorize  the  purchase  of  these  two 
small  vessels  at  once,  and  make  them  a  part  of  our  na 
val  establishment ;  but,  when  I  recollect  the  magnani 
mous  feeling  which  urged  this  noble-hearted  merchant 
to  prepare  these  ships,  I  know  that  that  same  feeling 
Would  forbid  him  to  make  merchandise  of  that  whicE 
he  has  devoted  to  humanity.  He  offers  them  for  this 
great  cause ;  they  are  his*  property,  prepared  for  this 
enterprise,  and  he  offers  them  to  us  to  be  used  by  the 
government  in  this  great  undertaking.  We  must  either 
accept  them  for  the  purpose  to  which  he  has  dedicated 
them,  or  reject  them  altogether.  If  we  refuse  these 
ships,  we  will  defeat  the  whole  enterprise,  and  lose  all 
opportunity  of  participation  in  a  work  of  humanity 
which  now  commands  the  attention  of  the  world. 

"  If  we  refer  this  resolution  back  to  the  committee, 
and  they  report  a  bill  authorizing  government  to  build 
ships  to  carry  on  the  expedition  on  its  own  account,  it 
would  be  attended  with  very  great  delay,  and,  in  my 
opinion  defeat  the  object  we  have  in  view.  In  a  case 
of  this  kind  time  is  every  thing.  It  must  be  done  speed- 
ily, if  done  at  all.  Every  hour's  delay  may  b§  worth 
the  life  of  a  man.  Sir  John  Franklin  and  his  compan- 
ions may  ere  this  have  perished,  but  our  hope  is  that 
they  are  still  living  in  some  narrow  sea,  imprisoned  by 
walls  of  ice,  where  our  succor  may  yet  reach  them. 
But,  Sir,  whether  our  hopes  are  fallacious  or  not,  the 
public  feeling  —  the  feeling  of  humanity  —  is,  that  the 
fate  of  Sir  John  Franklin  should,  if  possible,  be  ascer- 
tained, and  as  sojn  as  possible.  The  public  mind  will 
never  be  satisfied  till  an  expedition  from  this  country, 
or  from  some  other  country,  shall  have  ascertained  their 
fate.  1  therefore  trust  that  this  resolution,  as  it  is,  will 
be  acted  upon  at  once,  and  that  it  will  receive  the 
unanimous  vote  of  the  Senate.     *  *  *  * 

"  I  am  po  impressed  Mr.  President,  with  the  impor 


S38 


PKOGKESS   OP  AKCTIO   DISCOVERT. 


m 


i  r:- 


tance  of  time  as  regards  the  disposal  of  this  qaestion, 
that  I  hesitate  even  to  occupy  the  attention  of  the 
Senate  for  a  few  moments ;  and  I  onlv  do  so  for  the 
purpose  of  correcting  some  views  whicn  have  been  ex- 
pressed by  the  senator  from  Mississippi.  *  ♦  *  The 
quest!  jii  is,  whether  we  shall  adopt  thip  resolution,  and 
immediately  send  forth  this  expedition  for  the  purpose 
of  accomplishing  this  great  object,  or  whether  we  shall 
throw  back  this  resolution   to   drag  its  slow  course 
through  Congress,  in  the  form  of  another  bill,  to  make 
an  appropriation  for  the  purpose  of  building  vessels. 
For  wnat  object  ?   To  secure,  as  the  senator  sa^^s,  to  the 
United  States,  the  sole  honor  and  glory  of  this  expedi- 
tion.   Sir,  if  this  expedition  is  got  up  merely  for  honor 
and  fflory  either  to  the  United  States  or  to  an  individual, 
I  wifi  have  nothing  whatever  to  do  with  it    Sir,  there 
is  a  deeper  aad  a  higher  sentiment  that  has  induced  the 
action  of  Congress  on  this  subject.    It  is  to  engage  in 
a  great  work  of  humanity,  to  do  that  which  io  not  only 
bemg  done  by  the  government  of  England,  but  by  pri- 
vate individuals,  who  are  fitting  out  expeditions  at  their 
own  expense,  and  sending  them  to  the  northern  seas, 
for  the  purpo^je  of  discovering  the  fate  of  this  great 
man  who  had  periled  his  life  in  the  cause  of  science 
and  of  commerce. 

"  Mr  President,  I  have  been  informed  that  a  private 
expediUon  is  now  being  fitted  out  in  England  under  th(j 
direction  of  that  great  commander,  or  I  may  call  him 
the  king  of  the  Polar  Seas,  Sir  John  Ross,  who  is  going 
again  to  devote  himself  and  liis  life  to  t'Js  ])eriiou8  ex- 
pedition. Sir,  altogether  I  have  not  had  heretofore 
much  confidence  in  the  success  of  this  expedition,  yet 
when  I  consider  the  reputation  of  Sir  John  Boss,  and 
the  fact  that  he  is  better  acquainted  with  those  seas 
than  any  other  man  living,  and  understanding  that  he 
entertains  the  belief  that  Sir  John  Franklin  and  his 
companions  are  yet  alive,  and  may  be  rescued,  —  I  say 
finning  such  a  man  as  Sir  John  Ross  engaged  in  an  ex- 
pedition of  this  kind,  I  am  not  without  hope  that  our 
efforts  may,  under  Providence,  be  crowned  with  ^uccesft 


DEBATE  IN  tiONGRESB. 


339 


But  fho  honorable  senator  says  thit  nothing  is  likely  to 
be  derived  ^om  this  expedition  but  honor  nnd  glory, 
and  that  that  is  to  be  divided  between  the  government 
of  the  United  States  and  a  private  individual.    Sir,  is 
there  nothing  to  be  derive*.!  from  the  performance  of  an 
act  of  humanity  but  honor  and  glory?    Sir,  it  is  said 
that  in  this  instance  both  the  government  and  the  indi 
vidual  alluded  to  are  engaged  in  the  same  work.    Well 
Sir,  what  objection  can  tnere  be  to  that  connection 
Does  the  honorable  senator  from  Mississippi  envy  the 
individual  his  sliare  of  the  honor  and  glory  ?    Does  he 
desire  to  monopolize'  it  all  to  the  United  States  ?    I  hope 
he  has  no  such  feeling  as  that. 

"  But,  Mr.  President,  the  honorable  senator  made  use 
of  an  expression  which  I  think  he  will  withdraw.  He 
intimated,  if  I  understood  him  rightly,  some  suspicion 
that  this  was  a  matter  of  speculation  on  the  part  of  Mr. 
Grinnell. 

"  Mr.  FooTE :  I  said  I  had  lieard  such  a  thing  sug 
gested  ;  but  I  do  not  make  any  such  charge  myself. 

"Mr.  Miller:  I  lave heard  this  urged  as  an  objec- 
tion heretofore,  but  I  am  satisfied  that  if  the  senator 
from  Mississippi  knew  the  character  and  the  history  of 
this  gentleman,  he  would  not  even  repeat  tliat  he  nad 
heard  such  an  insinuation.  Sir,  althc  gh  this  is  a 
liberal  donation  from  an  individual,  the  sum  need  not 
alarm  gentlemen  about  after  claims.  These  ships  are 
but  small  ships ;  and  it  is  necessarv  that  they  sliould  be 
Bmall  in  order  that  they  may  be  effective.  One  of  them 
is,  I  underst.ind,  150  tons,  and  the  other  90  tons.  They 
have  cost,  I  believe,  30,000  dollars.  Now,  when  we 
find  this  merchant  devoting  his  property,  not  tor  the 
purpose  of  building'ships  to  convoy  merchandise  to  the 
markets  of  the  world  ;  when  >r?  find  him  retiring  from 
the  ordinary  coiuse  of  commei  dal  pursuit  in  which  all 
the  world  is  engaged,  and  dc  ^oting  a  portion  of  his 
fortune  to  the  building  of  ships  that  can  be  used  for  no 
other  purpose  but  in  this  voyag  i  of  humanity,  can  it  be 
imagined  that  any  thought  of  speculation  on  his  part 
could  nave  influenced  his  conduct ?    No,  Sir.    Or  tho 


I   « 


1        !i 


-. 


Fh' 


Z40 


PBOGBESS  OF  ABOTIO  DISOOVSBY. 


Uv 


h'l- 


I    ! 


contrary,  it  is  a  high  and  worthy  motive  ;  and  I  think 
it  ought  to  receive  the  approbation  of  this  and  all  other 
intelligent  Christian  nations,  to  see  a  merchant,  who, 
while  the  commercial  world  are  encompassing  the 
globe  by  sea  and  land  in  quest  of  profit  and  .of  gold,  is 
dedicatmff  himself  to  his  great  object,  and  devoting  a 
part  of  his  fortune  to  the  cause  of  humanity,  and  olter- 
ing  to  government,  not  as  a  bounty,  but  because  the 
government,  with  all  its  means,  has  not  the  power  and 
the  time  to  prepare  vessels  to  do  this  work.  That,  Sir, 
is  the  object. 

"  Now,  if  we  do  not  accept  these  ships,  there  will  be 
an  end  of  this  expedition.  Sir,  shall  it  be  said,  that 
this  government  has  lost  such  an  opportunity  as  this  of 
exhibiting  the  deep  interest  which  our  people  feel  both 
in  the  cause  of  science  and  humanity,  and  that,  too,  at 
the  very  time  when  we  are  entering  into  treaties  and  com- 
pacts with  all  the  commercial  nations  oi  the  world,  for 
the  purpose  of  extending  commerce  and  civilization, 
and  opening  communications  of  tjade  from  sea  to  sea? 
"When  the  government  is  not  only  doing  all  by  its  own 
power,  but  also  acting  in  concert  with  our  private  citi- 
zens in  constructing  rail-roads  and  canals,  and  by  vari- 
ous other  modes  extending  commercial  civilization 
throughout  the  world,  shall  it  be  said  that  we,  at  this 
moment,  refused,  through  the  fear  of  losing  a  little 
honor  and  glory  and  national  dignity,  to  accept  two 
ships  —  the  only  two  ships  in  America  that  can  do  the 
work  —  in  the  accomj)lishmcnt  of  this  great  enterprise  ? 
I  hope  not.  Li3t  us  not,  then,  cavil  and  waste  time 
about  these  little  matters.  If  the  work  is  to  be  done 
at  all  it  must  be  done  now,  and  done,  as  I  conceive,  by 
the  adoption  of  this  resolution. 

Governor  Seward  spoke  as  follows  in  the  Senate 
on  the  same  subject :  —  "I  am  happy  to  perceive,  Mr. 
President,  indications  all  around  trie  chamber  that  there 
is  no  disagreement  in  regard  to  the  importance,  or  in 
relation  to  the  propriety,  of  a  search  on  the  part  of  this 
nation,  by  the  government  itself  or  by  individual  citi« 
Bens,  for  the  lost  and  heroic  navigator.    Since  so  mucb 


ite 
[r. 
ire 
in 
lis 
fti. 
icb 


DEBATE   IN   CONGRESS. 


341 


*fl  conceded,  and  since  I  come  from  the  State  whence 
this  proposition  emanates,  I  desire  to  notice,  in  a  very 
few  words,  the  objections  raised  against  the  mode  of 
carrying  the  proposed  design  into  effect.  It  is  always 
the  case,  I  think,  when  great  objects  and  great  enter 
prises  which  are  feasible  are  hindered  or  defeated,  that 
they  are  hindered  or  defeated,  not  so  much  by  want  of 
agreement  concerning  the  measures  themselves,  as  by 
diversity  of  opinion  concerning  tlie  mode  of  carrying 
them  into  execution.  Since  this  is  so  generally  the 
case,  the  rule  which  I  always  adopt,  and  which  seems 
to  be  a  safe  one,  is,  that  where  I  cannot  have  my  own 
way  of  obtaining  a  great  public  object,  I  will  accept 
the  best  other  way  which  opens  before  me.  Now,  I 
cordially  agree  with  those  honorable  Senators  wlio 
would  have  preferred  that  at  some  appropriate  time, 
and  in  some  proper  and  unobjectionable  manner,  the 
government  should  have  moved  frr  the  attainment  of 
this  object,  as  a  government,  and  have  made  it  exclu- 
sively the  act  of  the  nation.  And  I  would  have  pre- 
ferred this,  not  so  much  on  account  of  the  glory  that  it 
is  supposed  would  have  followed  it,  as  becr^se  of  the 
beneficence  of  the  enterprise.  Enterprise-  wliich 
spring  from  a  desire  of  glory  are  very  apt  to  end  in 
disappointment.  True  national  glory  is  alwaj'^s  safely 
attained  by  prosecuting  beneficent  designs,  whatever 
may  be  their  success.  I  say,  Sir,  then,  that  I  would 
have  preferred  the  alternative  suggested ;  but  the  fact 
is,  without  stopping  to  inquire  where  the  fault  lies,  or 
whether  there  be  fault  at  all,  the  government  has  not 
moved,  and  the  reason  which  has  been  assigned  is,  I 
have  no  doubt,  the  true  one.  I  do  not  know  that  it 
has  ever  been  contradicted  or  called  in  question  ;  that 
reason  is,  that  the  Navy  of  the  United  States  contains 
no  vessels  adapted  to  the  enterprise,  but  consists  of 
ships  constructed  and  fitted  for  very  different  objects 
ana  purposes  than  an  exploring  expedition  amid  the 
ice-bound  seas  of  the  arctic  pole.  Our  naval  marine 
consists  of  vessels  adapted  to  the  purposes  of  convoys, 
military  armament,  and  the  suppression  of  the  %'\9^y%' 


I 


n^ 


342 


PROGHESS    OF   AHOTIC   DISCOVERT. 


trade  on  the  coast  of  Africa.  The  executive  portion! 
of  the  government  failed  for  want  of  vessels  suitable 
to  be  employed  in  this  particular  service.  It  therefore 
devolved  upon  the  Legislature  of  the  United  States. 
But,  although  we  have  been  here  now  nearly  five 
months,  no  t/ommittee  of  either  House,  no  member  of 
either  House  of  Congress  has  pro])ose('  to  equip  a  na- 
tional fleet  for  this  purpose.  While  this  fact  exists  on 
one  side,  it  is  to  be  remarked  on  the  other,  that  the 
time  has  arrived  in  which  the  movement  must  be  made 
if  it  is  to  be  made  at  all,  and  also  that  a  careful  inves- 
tigation, made  by  scientific  and  practical  men,  has  re- 
vived the  hope  in  Europe  and  America  that  the  humane 
object  can  be  attained.  There  can,  then,  be  no  delay 
allowed  for  considering  whether  the  manner  for  carry- 
ing the  design  into  effect  could  not  be  changed.  Let 
us,  then,  practically  survey  the  case  as  it  comes  before 
us.  The  government  of  the  United  States  has  really 
no  vessels  adapted  to  the  purpose.  To  say  nothing  of 
the  expense,  the  government  has  not  time  to  provide, 
prepare,  or  equip  vessels  for  the  expedition.  Under 
such  circumstances,  a  citizen  of  the  United  States 
tenders  to  the  government  vessels  of  his  own,  precisely 
adequate  in  number,  and  exactly  fitted  in  construction 
and  equipment,  for  the  performance  of  the  duty  to  be 
assumed.  Since  he  ofl'ers  tliem  to  the  government, 
what  reason  can  we  assign  for  rei'nsing  them  ?  No 
reason  can  be  assigned,  except  that  he  is  too  generous, 
and  offers  to  give  us  the  use  of  the  vessels  instead  of 
demanding  compensation  for  it.  Well,  Sir,  if  we  do 
accept  them  it  can  be  immediately  carried  into  execu- 
tion, with  a  cheering  prospect  of  attaining  the  great 
object  which  the  United  States  and  the  civilized  world 
have  such  deep  interest  in  securing.  Then  the  ques- 
tion resolves  itself  into  this  —  the  question  raised  by 
the  honorable  Senator  from  Alabama  (Mr.  King)  — 
whether,  in  seeking  so  beneficent  an  object,  it  is  '  on- 
iist.ent  with  the  dignity  of  the  nation  to  combine  indi- 
vidual action  with  a  national  enterprise.  I  do  not 
<%ink.  Mr.  President,  that  that  honorable  Senator  wil* 


DEBATE   IN   CONGRESS. 


313 


0 


ot 


find  himself  obliged  to  insist  upon  this  objection  after 
he  shall  have  carefully  examined  the  bill  before  us 
He  will  tind  that  it  converts  the  undertaking  into  a 
natit)nal  enterprise.  The  vessels  are  to  be  accepted 
not  as  individual  property,  but  as  national  vessels 
They  will  absolutely  cease  to  be  undor  the  direction, 
management,  or  control  of  the  owners,  and  will  become 
at  once  national  ships,  and  for  the  time,  at  least,  and 
for  all  the  purposes  of  the  expedition,  a  part  of  the 
national  marine. 

"Now,  Sir,  have  we  not  postal  arrangements  with 
various  foreign  countries  carried  into  effect  in  the  same 
way,  and  is  the  dignity  of  the  nation  compromised  by 
them  ?  During  the  war  with  Mexico,  the  government 
continually  hired  ships  and  steamboats  from  citizens  foi 
military  operations.  Is  the  glory  of  that  war  tarnished 
ny  the  use  of  those  means  ?  The  government  in  this 
case,  as  in  those  cases,  is  in  no  sense  a  partner.  It 
assumes  the  whole  control  of  tlie  vessels,  and  the  enter- 
prise becomes  a  national  one.  The  only  circumstance 
remaining  to  be  considered  is,  whether  the  government 
can  accept  the  loan  of  the  service  of  the  vessels  without 
making  compensation.  Now,  Sir,  I  should  not  have  had 
the  least  objection,  and,  indeed,  it  would  have  been 
more  agreeable  to  me  if  the  government  could  have 
made  an  arrangement  to  have  paid  a  compens.ation. 
lint  I  hold  it  to  be  quite  unnecessary  in  the  present 
»ase  because  the  character  of  the  person  who  tenders 
these  vessels,  and  the  circumstances  and  manner  of  the 
whole  transaction,  show  that  it  is  not  a  speculation. 
No  compensation  is  wanted.  It  would  only  bo  a  cere- 
mony on  the  part  of  the  government  to  offer  it,  and  a 
ceremony  on  the  part  of  the  merchant  to  decline  it.  I 
am,  therefore,  willing  to  march  directly  to  the  object, 
and  to  assume  that  these  ceremonies  have  been  duly 
performed,  that  the  government  has  offered  to  pay,  and 
the  no])le-spirited  merchant  declined  to  receive. 

"Now,  then,  is  there  any  thing  derogatory  from  the 
dignity  and  indej)endence  of  this  nation  in  employing 
the  vessels  ?    Certainly  not,  since  that  employment  it 


su 


rRCOllliSS   OF    APwCTTC    DISCOVERT. 


/  ' 


indispensable.  If  it  were  not  indispensable  I  do  nol 
think  that  the  dignity  of  the  Ilepiiblic  would  be  im- 
paired ;  I  think,  on  the  contrary,  that  it  would  be  en- 
hanced and  elevated.  It  is  a  transaction  worthy  of  tlio 
nation,  a  spectacle  deserving  the  contemplation  and 
respect  of  mankind,  to  see  that  not  only  does  the  nation 
prosecute,  but  that  it  has  citizens  al)le  and  willing  to 
contribute,  voluntarily  and  witliout  compulsion,  to  an 
enterprise  so  interesting  to  tlie  cause  of  science  and  of 
humanity.  It  is  indeed  a  new  and  distinct  cause  for 
national  pride,  tliat  an  individual  citizen,  not  a  merchant 

Erince,  as  he  would  be  called  in  some  other  countries, 
ut  a  republican  merchant,  comes  forward  in  this  way 
and  moves  the  government  and  co-operates  witli  it.  It 
illustrates  the  magnanimity  of  the  nation  and  of  the 
citizen.  Sir,  there  is  nothing  objectionable  in  this  fea- 
ture of  the  transaction.  It  I'esults  from  the  character 
of  the  government,  whi-ch  is  essentially  popular,  that 
there  are  perpetual  debates  on  the  question  how  far 
measures  and  enterprises,  for  the  purposes  of  humanity 
and  science,  are  consistent  with  the  constitutional  or- 
ganization of  the  government,  although  they  are  ad- 
mitted to  be  eminently  compatible  with  the  dignity, 
chara  iter,  and  intelligence  of  the  nation.  All  our  en- 
terprises, more  or  less,  are  carried  into  execution,  if 
they  are  carried  into  execution  at  all,  not  by  the  direct 
action  of  the  government,  bit  l^y  tlie  lording  of  its 
favor,  countenance,  and  aid  ^c  individuals,  to  corpora- 
tions, and  to  States.  Thus  it  is  that  we  construct  rail- 
roads and  canals,  and  found  colleges  and  universities. 
"  iSTor  is  this  mode  of  prosecuting  enterprises  of  great 
pith  and  moment  peculiar  to  this  government.  There 
was  a  navigator  who  went  forth  from  a  port  in  Spain, 
some  three  or  four  hundred  years  ago,  on  an  enterprise 
quite  as  doubtful  and  quite  as  perilous  as  this.  Atltcr 
trying  unsuccessfully  several  States,  he  was  forced  to  bo 
content  with  the  sanction,  and  little  more  than  the  sanc- 
tion and  patronage  of  the  Court  of  Madrid.  The  scanty 
treasures  devoted  to  that  undertaking  were  the  private 
contributions  of  a  Queen  and  her  subjects,  and  tlie  ve* 


DEBATE   IN   CONGRESS. 


.345 


J«' 


m. 


Bels  were  fitted  out  and  manned  at  tlic  expense  ofmer 
cliants  and  citizens,  wliicli  gave  a  new  world  to  tlio 
kingdom  of  Castile  and  Leon. 

"  Ente.  .ainiiig  these  views  now,  wlfiitevcr  my  opinion 
might  have  been  nnder  other  circumstances,  I  shall  vote 
agair.st  a  rccommittjil,  and  in  favor  of  the  bill,  as  rho 
surest  way  of  preventing  its  defeat,  and  of  attaining  the 
sublime  and  beneficent  object  which  it  contemjlates." 

The  committee  of  both  llouses  of  Congress,  to  whom 
Mr.  Grinnell's  petition  for  men  and  supplies  was  re- 
ferred, made  a  unanimous  report  in  favor ;  and  tho 
vessels  left  on  their  daring  and  generous  errand. 

The  following  are  the  joint  resolutions  which  passed 
both  Houses  of  Congress  and  were  approved  by  Gen- 
eral Taylor,  authorizing  the  President  of  the  United 
States  to  accept  and  attach  to  the  U.  S.  Navy  the  two 
vessels,  offered  by  Mr.  Grinnell,  to  be  sent  to  the  arctic 
seas  in  search  of  Sir  John  Franklin  and  his  companions: 

"  Resolved  by  the  Senate  and  House  of  Represent- 
atives of  the  United  States  of  America  in  Congress 
assembled,  That  the  President  be,  and  he  is  hereby 
authorized  and  directed,  to  receive  from  Henry  Grinnell^ 
of  the  city  of  New  Yoi'k,  the  two  vessels  prepared  by 
liim  for  an  expedition  in  search  of  Sir  Jolm  Franklin 
and  his  companions,  and  to  detail  from  the  Navy  such 
commissioned  and  warrant  officers,  and  so  many  sea- 
men as  may  be  necessary  for  said  expedition,  and  who 
inay  bo  willing  to  engage  therein.  The  said  officers 
and  men  shall  bo  furnished  with  suitable  rations,  at  tho 
discretion  of  the  President,  for  a  period  not  exceeding 
three  years,  and  shall  have  the  use  of  such  necessary 
instniments  as  are  now  on  hand  and  can  be  spared  from 
the  Navy,  to  be  accounted  for  or  returned  by  the  offi 
cers  who  shall  receive  the  ^^ame. 

"  Sec.  2.  Be  it  further  resolved,  That  the  said  vessels, 
officers,  and  men  shall  be  in  all  respects  under  the  laws 
and  regulations  of  the  Navy  of  tho  United  States  until 
their  return,  when  tho  said  vessels  shall  be  delivered 
to  the  said  Henry  Grinnell :  Provided,  That  the  United 
States  shall  not  bo  liable  t<l*feny  claim  for  compensation 


'•*;. 
'■■{i 


346 


PROORKSB   OP  ARanO  DISCOVERY. 


■I   !-■ 


■J  :■ 


In  ca^e  of  the  loss,  damage  or  deterioration  of  tlie  said 
vessels,  or  either  of  them,  from  any  cause  or  in  any 
manner  whatever,  nor  be  liable  to  any  demand  for  the 
use  or  risk  of  the^said  vessels  or  either  of  them." 

Directly  the  fact  became  known  that  the  American 
government  had  nobly  come  forward  to  aid  in  the  search 
which  was  being  so  strenuously  made,  the  different 
learned  societies  of  the  metropolis  vied  with  each  otlier 
in  testifying  the  estimation  in  which  this  noble  conduct 
was  held. 

At  the  annual  meeting  of  the  Royal  Society,  on  the 
7th  of  June,  upon  tlie  motion  of  Sir  Charles  Lennox, 
seconded  by  the  late  Marquis  of  Nortliampton,  a  vote 
of  thanks  was  carried  with  the  utmost  enthusiasm,  ex- 
pressive of  the  gratitude  of  the  Society  to  the  American 
government,  and  of  their  deep  sense  of  the  kind  and 
brotherly  feeling  which  had  prompted  so  liberal  an  act 
of  humanity.  A  similar  vote  was  carried,  on  the  11th 
of  June,  at  a  general  meeting  of  the  Royal  Geograph- 
ical Society,  (of  which  Sir  John  Franklin  was  long  one 
of  the  vice-presidents.) 

The  American  expedition  consists  of  two  brigantines 
—  now  enrolled  in  tne  United  States  Navy  —  the  Ad- 
vance, of  144  tons,  and  the  Rescue,  91  tons.  These 
vessels  have  been  provided  and  fitted  out  by  the  gener- 
ous mTinificence  of  Mr.  Henry  Grinnell,  .,  merchant  of 
New  York,  at  an  expense  to  him  of  between  5000^.  and 
6000^.  The  American  government  also  did  much  to^ 
^rard  fitting  and  equipping  them.  The  Advance  was 
two  years  old,  and  the  Rescue  quite  new.  Both  vessels 
were  strengthened  in  every  part,  and  put  in  the  most 
complete  order  for  the  service  in  which  they  were  to  be 
eno^aged.  They  are  under  the  command  of  Lieutenant 
Edward  S.  De  Haven,  who  was  employed  in  Com- 
mander Wilkes'  expedition  in  1843  ;  Mr.  S.  P.  Griffin, 
acting  master,  has  charge  of  the  Rescue.  The  other 
oflicers  of  the  expedition  are  Messrs.  "W.  H.  Murdaugh, 
acting-master ;  T.  W.  Broadhead,  and  R.  R.  Carter, 
passed  midshipmen  ;  Dr.  E.  K.  Kane,  passed  assistant- 
surgeon  ;  Mr.  Benjamin  Fiidand,  assists'  vsnrgeon ;  "W 


les 


THE   AMERICAN    EXPEDITION. 


847 


S.  Lovell,  midshipman  ;  11.  Brooks,  boatswain  ;  and  c 
complement  of  thirty-six  seamen  in  the  two  vessels  — 
the  crew  of  the  Advance  consisting  of  fifteen  men,  and 
the  Rescue  thirteen  men.  The  vessels  left  New  York 
on  the  25th  of  May,  1850.  Their  proposed  destinati(>n 
ig  through  Barrow's  Strait,  westward  to  Caj)e  Walkei, 
and  round  Melville  Island.  They  were  i)rovisioned  for 
three  years. 

Whatever  may  be  the  result  of  this  expedition,  as 
connected  with  the  fate  <»f  the  gallant  Sir  John  Frank- 
lin, it  is  one  which  reflects  the  bighest  honor  upon  the 
philanthropic  individual  who  projected  it,  and  upon  the 
officers  and  men  engaged  therein. 

A  dispatch  has  been  received  from  Lieutenant  Do 
Haven,  dated  oif  Leopold  Island,  August  22d,  which 
reports  the  progress  of  the  expedition  tlius  far.  The 
Advance,  in  company  with  her  consort,  the  Rescue, 
Bailed  from  the  Whale  Fish  Islands  on  the  29th  of  June; 
after  many  delays  and  obstructions  from  calms,  stream 
ice,  and  the  main  pack,  they  forced  a  passage  through 
it  for  a  considerable  distance,  but  at  last  got  wedged  up 
in  the  pack  immovably  until  the  29th  of  July,  when 
by  a  sudden  movement  of  the  floes,  an  opening  pre- 
sented itself,  and  under  a  press  of  sail  the  vessels  forced 
their  way  into  clear  water.  They  encountered  a  heavy 
gale,  which,  with  a  thick  fog,  made  their  situation  very 
dangerous,  the  huge  masses  of  ice  being  driven  along 
by  the  strength  of  the  wind  and  current  with  great 
fury.  By  the  aid  of  warping  in  calm  weather,  thoy 
reached  Cape  Yorkeon  the  15th  of  August,  and  a  little 
to  the  eastward  met  with  two  Esquimaux,  but  could  not 
understand  much  from  them.  Between  Cape  York© 
and  Cape  Dudley  Diggs,  while  delayed  by  calms,  being 
in  open  water,  they  hauled  the  ships  into  the  shore  at 
t  lie  Crimson  Cliffs  of  Beverley,  (so  named  from  the  red 
enow  on  them,)  and  filled  their  water  casks  from  a 
mountain  stream. 

On  the  18th,  with  a  fair  wind,  they  shaped  their  conrso 
for  the  western  side  of  Baffin's  Bay,  and  met  the  pack  in 
streams  and  very  loose,  which  they  cleared  entirely  by 
22  O 


848 


PROOIiP:SS    OF   AKCriC   IJISCOVEKY. 


i  ;■ 


I-     ': ' 


the  following  day  —  getting  into  tlie  north  waters,  where 
they  feW  in  with  Captain  Penny's  two  vessels,  wliich 
having  been  nnsnccesstul  in  their  efforts  to  enter  Jones' 
Souno,  were  now  taking  the  same  course  up  Lancastui 
Sound.  On  the  19th,  in  a  violent  gale,  the  Advance 
parted  company  witli  the  Rescue.  On  the  morning  of 
the  21st  of  August,  the  fog  cleared,  and  Lieutenant  Da 
Haven  found  lie  was  off  Cape  Crawford,  on  the  south 
em  shore  of  the  Sound.  Hero  he  fell  in  with  the  Felix 
schooner,  under  Captain  Sir  John  Ross,  from  wliom  lie 
learned  that  Commodore  Austin  was  at  Pond's  Bay  with 
two  of  his  vessels,  seeking  for  information,  while  tlio 
other  two  had  been  dispatched  to  examine  the  north 
shore  of  the  Sound.  Lieutenant  De  ITaven  proposed 
proceeding  on  from  Port  Leopold  to  Wellington  Chan- 
nel, the  appointed  place  of  rendezvous  with  nis  consort. 


Caitain  Forsyth's  Remarkable  Voyage  in  the  ^ 
"Prince  Ai^bert." 

In  April,  1850,  a  branch  expedition  to  aid  those  ves- 
sels sent  out  by  the  government  was  determined  on  by 
Lady  Franklin,  who  contributed  largely  toward  its  out- 
fit ;  a  considerable  sum  being  also  raised  by  public 
subscription.  The  expenses  of  this  expedition  M^ero 
nearly  4000^.,  of  which  2500/.  were  contributed  by  Lady 
Franklin  herself.  The  object  of  this  expedition  was 
the  providing  for  the  search  of  a  portion  of  the  Arctic 
Sea,  which  it  was  distinctly  understood  could  not  be 
executed  by  the  vessels  under  Captain  Austin  ;  but  tlie 
importance  of  which  had  been  set  forth,  by  arctic  and 
other  authorities,  in  documents  printed  in  the  Parlia- 
mentary Papers. 

The  unprovided  portion  alluded  to,  includes  Regent 
Inlet,  and  the  passages  connecting  it  with  the  western 
Bea,  James  Ross's  Strait,  and  other  localities,  S.  W.  of 
Cape  Walker,  to  which  quarter  Sir  John  Franklin  was 
required  by  his  instructions  to  proceed  in  the  first  in- 
stance. This  search  is  assumed  to  be  necessary  on  tlie 
following  grounds :  — 


71 


T07A0E  OF  TUB.  riClKCIfi  A.LLKRT. 


349 


ic 


nt 
ni 
of 
as 
n- 

119 


1.  The  probability  of  Sir  John  Franklin  having 
iibandoned  \m  vessels  to  tlie  S.  W.  of  Capo  Walker. 

2.  The  fact  that,  in  his  charts,  an  open  passage  :s 
laid  down  from  the  west  into  the  south  part  of  Regcnl 
[nlot. 

3.  Sir  John  Franklin  would  bo  more  likely  to  take 
this  course  thruugli  a  country  known  to  possess  the  re- 
sources of  animal  life,  with  the  wreck  of  the  Victory 
ill  Felix  Harbor  tor  fuel,  and  the  stores  of  Fury  Beach 
farther  north  in  view,  than  to  fall  upon  an  utterly  barren 
region  of  the  north  coast  of  America. 

4.  He  would  be  more  likely  to  expect  succor  to  be 
sent  to  him  by  way  of  Lancaster  Sound  and  Barrow's 
Strait,  into  which  Regent  Inlet  opens,  than  in  any 
other  direction. 

In  corroboration  of  the  necessity  of  this  part  of  the 
search,  I  would  refer  generally  to  the  Parliamentary 
|)aj)er8  of  1848-9  and  50.  As  an  individual  opinion,! 
may  quote  the  words  of  Captain  Beechey,  p.  31  of  the 
first  series.  "  If,  in  this  condition,"  (that  of  being 
}io])ele8sly  blocked  up  to  the  S.  W.  of  Cape  Walker,) 
"  which  I  trust  may  not  be  the  case.  Sir  John  Franklin 
shfmld  resolve  upon  taking  to  his  boats,  he  would  prefer 
attempting  a  boat  navigation  through  Sir  James  Koss'a 
Strait,  and  iip  Regent  Inlet,  to  a  long  land  journey 
across  the  continent  to  the  Hudson  Bay  Settlements, 
to  which  the  greater  part  of  his  crew  would  be  wholly 
unequal."  And  again,  in  his  letter  to  the  Secretary 
(»f  the  Admiralty,  7th  of  February,  1850,  Captain 
Beechey  writes,  «  *  *  *  *  the  bottom  of  Regent  Inlet, 
about  the  Polly  Islands,  should  not  be  left  unexamined. 
In  the  memorandum  submitted  to  their  Lordships,  ITtli 
of  January,  1849,  this  quarter  was  considered  of  im- 
portance, and  I  am  still  of  opinion  that  had  Sir  Johr 
''ranklin  abandoned  his  vessels  near  the  coast  of 
America,  and  much  short  of  the  Mackenzie  River,  he 
would  have  preferred  tiie  probability  of  retaining  the 
use  of  his  boats  until  he  found  relief  in  Barrow's  Strait, 
to  risking  an  overland  journey  via  the  before-men- 
tioned river;  and  it  must  be  remembered  that  at  the 


? 


i 


; 


' 


850 


PS00RK8B   or  ARCmO  DI800VBRT. 


1  I 


timo  he  Bailed,  Sir  Georee  BacVs  discovery  had  reik 
dcrod  it  very  ])robablo  tnat  Boothia  was  an  island. 

Tho  momoraiidnm  alluded  to  by  Captain  JJuccho^ 
as  havinff  been  submitted  to  the  Lords  of  the  Admi* 
raUy  ontlio  17th  of  January,  1849,  was,  tlio  oxprcHsion 
of  tho  unanimous  opinion  of  the  arctic  ofticors  assem- 
bled by  command  of  the  Admiralty  to  deliberate  upon 
the  bent  means  t<>  be  taken  for  the  relief  of  the  missing 
expedition ;  and  in  this  re}»ort,  clause  14  is  expressly 
devoted  to  the  recommendation  of  tho  search  of  liegent 
Tnlct. 

The  necessity  for  the  proposed  search  may  bo  thus 
further  developed.  Sir  .iohn  Franklin  may  have  aban- 
doned his  8hi])9,  when  his  provisions  were  nearly  ex- 
hausted somewhere  about  the  latitude  of  73°  N.,  long. 
105''  VV. ;  in  short,  at  any  point  S.  W.  of  Cape  Walker, 
not  further  W.  than  long.  110°.  And  in  such  case, 
rather  than  return  north,  (which  might  bo  indeed  im- 
practicable) or  moving  south  u])()n  the  American  Con- 
tinent, of  which  (upon  the  coast,)  the  utter  barrenness 
was  already  well  Known  to  hini,  lie  might  prefer  a 
southeastern  course,  with  a  view  of  passing  in  his  boats, 
either  through  James  Ross's,  or  tlirougli  Simpson's 
Straits,  into  the  Gulf  of  Boothia,  and  so  up  into  Regent 
Inlet  to  the  house  and  stores  left  at  Fury  Beach,  the 
only  depot  of  provisions  known  to  him.  The  advantages 
of  such  a  course  might  appear  to  him  very  great. 

1.  Two  open  passages  Ixiing  laid  down  in  his  charts 
into  Regent  Inlet,  by  James  Ross's  Strait,  and  by  Simp- 
son's Strait,  a  means  of  boat  transport  for  his  party 
wf>uld  bo  aiibrded,  of  which  alone  perhaps  their  ex- 
hausted strength  and  resources  niight  admit;  such  a 
course  would  obviously  recommend  itself  to  a  «om- 
mander  who  had  experienced  the  frightful  difficulties 
of  a  land  journey  in  those  regions. 

2.  The  proposed  course  would  lead  through  a  part, 
the  Isthmus  of  Boothia,  in  which  animal  life  is  known 
at  some  seasons  to  abound. 

3.  The  Esquimaux  who  have  been  found  on  the 
Isthmus  of  Boothia  are  extremely  well  disposed  and 
friendly. 


ml 


TOYAOK   OF  TIIK    I'KINCE    ALUKliT. 


3^il 


4.  It  18  the  direct  route  toward  the  habitual  vfarl) 
res'jrt  ot'tlie  wlialcrs  on  the  west  coast  of  Baffin  h  r>i/y 
and  DavJH*  Strait;  indeed  those  .^iiips  occasloiuillv  do- 
sctnd  liegent  Inlet  to  a  conHid(;rahle  dlHtance  soutii. 

fl.  Tliero  are  two  persons  attached  to  the  expedition 
who  are  well  acnuainted  witli  this  region  ana  its  re 
Bonrces  —  viz.,  Mr.  lilanky,  ice  master,  and  Mr.  Mac 
Doiiald,  assistant  surgeon,  of  tlie  Terror.    The  forme 
was  with  Sir  John  Itoss  in  the  Victory.    The  lattei 
has  made  several  voyages  in  whaling  vesselB  and  is 
accpiainted  with  the  parts  lying  between  Regent  InU^t 
a  Ml  Davis'  Strait.     VVhere  so  tew  among  the  crews  of 
the  missing  ships  have  had  any  local  experience,  the 
concurrent  knowledge   of  two   persons   would   have 
considerable  weight. 

6.  Opinions  are  very  greatly  divided  as  to  the  part 
m  whicli  Sir  John  Franldin's  party  may  have  been  ar- 
rested, and  as  to  the  course  they  may  have  taken  in 
eonsequence.  It  woidd  be  therefore  manifestly  unfair, 
i)nd  most  dangerous,  to  reason  out  and  magnify  any  one 
hypothesis  at  the  expense  of  the  others.  The  plan  here 
alluded  to  sought  to  provide  for  the  probability  of  tho 
Expedition  having  been  stopped  shortly  after  passing  to 
the  southwest  of  Cape  Walker.  Tlie  very  open  season 
li'  1845  was  followed  by  years  of  unusual  severity  until 
1849.  It  is  therefore  very  possible  that  retreat  as  well 
as  onward  progress  has  been  impossible  —  that  siifety 
alone  has  become  their  last  object.  The  hope  of  rescu- 
ing them  in  their  last  extremity  depends,  then,  (as  far 
as  human  means  can  insure  it,)  on  the  multiplying  of 
simultaneous  efforts  in  every  direction.  Ca}.«tain  Aus- 
tin's vessels  will,  if  moving  in  pairs,  take  two  most  im- 
portant sections  only,  of  tlie  general  search,  and  will 
find  they  have  enough  to  do  to  reach  their  several  points 
of  operation  this  season. 

The  necessity  for  this  search  was  greatly  enhanced 
ny  the  intelligence  received  about  this  time  in  England 
of  the  arrival  of  Mr.  Eae  and  Commander  Pnllen  at 
the  Mackenzie  River,  thus  establishing  the  fact,  that 
Sir  John  Franklin's  party  had  not  reached  any  part  of 


!       IE 


I  I 

1 


'   *         IB 

I   i 
t 


mmmmtammmmSm 


M  I 


4^ 


I      I 


352 


PEOGRESS  OF  ARCTIC  DISOOVERY, 


the  coast  between  Behring's  Strait  and  the  Coppermine 
River,  while  the  check  which  Mr.  Rae  received  in 
Ills  course  to  the  north  of  the  Coppermine,  tended  to 
give  increased  importance  to  the  quarter  eastward  of 
tliat  position. 

Commander  Charles  Codrinffton  Forsyth,  E.  N.,  an 
enterprising  young  officer,  who  had  not  long  previously 
been  promoted  in  consequence  of  his  arduous  services 
in  surveying  on  the  Australian,  African,  and  American 
she  res,  pnd  who  liad  rendered  good  service  to  the  gov. 
ernment  by  landing  supplies  on  the  east  coast  of  Africa, 
under  circumstances  of  great  difficulty  during  the  Kafir 
war,  had  volunteered  unsuccessfully  for  all  the  govern- 
ment expeditions,  but  was  permitted  by  the  Admiralty 
to  command  this  private  branch  expedition,  in  which 
he  embarked  without  fee  or  reward  —  on  the  noble  and 
honorable  mission  of  endeavoring  to  relieve  his  long- 
imprisoned  brother  oflicers. 

The  Prince  Albei-t,  a  small  clipper  vessel  of  about 
ninety  tons,  originally  built  by  Messrs.  White,  of  Cowes, 
in  October,  1848,  for  the  fruit  trade,  v^as  accordingly 
hastily  fitted  out  afjd  dispatched  from  Aberdeen,  and 
Cii})tHin  Forsyth  was  instructed  to  winter,  if  possible, 
in  Brentford  Bay,  in  Regent  Inlet,  and  thence  send 
})arties  to  explore  the  opposite  side  of  the  isthmus  and 
the  vanor.3  sliores  and  bays  of  the  Inlet  She  had  a 
crew  of  twenty,  W.  Kay  and  "W.  Wilson  acting  as  first 
and  second  mates,  and  Mr,  W.  P.  Snow  as  clerk.  She 
sailed  on  the  5th  of  June,  and  was  consequently  the 
last  vessel  that  left,  and  yet  is  the  first  that  has  reached 
home,  having  also  brought  some  account  of  the  track 
of  Franklin's  expedition. 

The  Prince  Albert  arrived  oflf  Cape  Farewell,  July 
2(1,  entered  the  ice  on  the  19th,  and  on  the  21st,  came 
up  with  Sir  John  Ross  in  a  labyrinth  of  ice.  She  pro- 
ceeded up  Lancaster  Sound  and  Barrow's  Strait,  fell  in 
with  most  of  the  English  ships  in  those  seas,  and  also 
with  the  American  brig  Advance,  sailing  some  time  in 
company,  and  attempted  to  en^er  Regent  Inlet  and  Wel- 
lington Channel.    Shf  left  thr  Advance  aground  neai 


VOYAGE   OF   THE   rBINOJffl   ALBERT. 


853 


Cape  Riley,  at  the  entrance  of  Wellington  Channel,- 
though  not  in  a  situation  supposed  to  oe  c^angei-ous. 
Commander  Forsyth,  in  his  ofhcial  letter  to  the  LorJa 
of  the  Admiralty,  says  that  "  traces  of  tlie  missing  ex- 
pedition under  Sir  John  Franklin  liad  been  found  at 
Cape  Riley  and  Becehey  Island,  at  the  entrance  to  the 
Wellington  Channel.  We  observed  five  places  where 
tents  had  been  pitched,  or  stones  placed  as  if  they  had 
been  used  for  keeping  the  lower  part  of  the  tents  down, 
also  great  ciuantlties  of  beef,  pork,  and  birds'  bones,  a 
piece  of  rope,  with  the  Woolwich  naval  mark  on  ir, 
(yellow^  part  of  which  I  have  inclosed."  Having  m 
tered  Wellington  Channel,  and  examined  the  coast  as 
far  as  Point  Innis,  and  finding  no  fni-ther  traces  of  the 
missing  vessels,  and  it  being  impraciicable  to  penetnite 
further  to  the  west,  Commander  Forsyth  returned  to  lie; 
gent  Inlet,  but  meeting  no  openin;^  there,  the  seaoun 
oeing  near  at  hand  when  the  ice  begins  to  form,  and 
his  vessel  not  of  a  strength  wl>Tch  would  enable  it  to 
resist  a  heavy  pressure  of  ice,  he  detennined  on  retinn- 
ing  without  further  delay  to  England,  after  examining 
a  number  of  point?  nlong  the  coast. 

On  the  25th  of  August,  a  signal  staff  being  observed 
on  shore  at  Cape  Riley,  Mr.  Snow  was  sent  by  Captain 
Forsyth  to  examine  it.  lie  Ibund  that  the  Assistance, 
Captain  Ommaney,  had  been  there  two  days  before,  and 
had  left  the  following  notice  : — 

"  This  is  to  certi^^-^  that  Captain  Ommaney,  with  the 
officers  of  her  Majesty's  ships  Assistance  and  Intrepid, 
landed  upon  Cape  Riley  ot^  the  23d  xVugust,  1850,  where 
he  found  traces  of  encam^^ments,  ?ln<l  collected  the  re- 
mains of  materials,  which  evidently  proved  that  some 
pai'ty  belonging  to  her  Majesty's  ships  had  been  de- 
tained on  that  spot.  Beechey  Island  was  also  examined, 
where  traces  were  found  or  the  same  party.  Tliis  is 
also  to  give  notice  that  a  supply  of  provisions  and  fuel 
:8  at  Cape  Riley.  Since  16th  August,  they  have  ex 
amined  tne  north  shore  of  Lancaster  Souna  and  Bar- 
row's Strait,  without  meeting  with  any  other  tracen. 
Captain  Omnianey  proceeds  to  Cape  Ilotham  and  Cap* 


i  I 


'1  I 


354 


PTiOGRESS    OF    ARCTIC    DISCOVERT. 


,1  \\ 


1  ' 


!.v 


iff    ^ 


Walker  in  search  of  further  traces  of  Sir  John  Frank- 
lin's expe^iition.  Dated  on  board  her  Majesty's  ship 
Assistance,  off  Cape  Riley,  the  23d  August,  1850." 

The  seamen  who  were  dispatclied  from  the  Assistance 
to  examine  these  remains,  found  a  rope  with  the  naval 
mark,  evidently  belonging  to  a  vessel  which  had  been 
fitted  out  at  Wooiwicb,  and  which,  in  all  probability, 
was  either  the  Erebus  or  the  Terror.  Other  indications 
were  also  noticed,  which  showed  that  some  vessel  had 
visited  the  place  besides  the  Assistance.  Captain  For- 
syth left  a  notice  that  the  Prince  Albert  had  called  off 
Cape  Kiley  on  the  25th  of  August,  and  then  bore  up 
to  the  eastward.  Captain  Forsyth  landed  at  Posses- 
sion Bay  on  the  29th  August,  but  nothing  was  found 
there  to  repay  the  search  instituted. 

The  Prince  Albert  arrived  at  Aberdeen,  on  the  22d 
of  October,  after  a  quick  passage,  having  been  absent 
something  less  than  four  months. 

Captain  Forsyth  proceeded  to  London  by  the  mail 
train,  taking  with  him,  for  the  infonnation  of  the  Ad- 
miralty, the  several  bones,  (beef,  pork,  &c.,)  which  were 
found  on  Cape  Riley,  together  with  a  piece  of  rope  of 
about  a  foot  and  a  half  in  length,  and  a  small  piece  of 
canvas  with  the  Queen's  mark  upon  it,  both  in  an  ex- 
cellent state  of  preservation  ;  placing  it  almost  beyond 
a  doubt  that  they  were  left  on  that  spot  by  the  expedi- 
*>on  under  Sir  John  Franklin. 

<Japtain'  Forsyth,  during  his  short  trip,  explored  re- 
gions whicli  Sir  James  Ross  was  unable  to  reach  the 
previous  year.  He  was  at  Wellington  Channel,  and 
penetrated  to  Fury  Beacli,  where  Sir  E.  Parry  aban- 
doned his  vessel,  (the  Fury,)  in  1825,  after  she  lad 
taken  the  ground.  It  is  situated  in  about  T2°  40'  N. 
lat^ude,  and  91°  50'  AY.  longitude.  This  is  a  point 
vhich  has  not  been  '•eached  by  any  vessel  for  twenty 
years  past.  It  was  foimd,  however,  utterly  impossible 
to  land  thfire  on  account  of  the  packed  ice.  The  whole 
of  the  coasts  of  Baffin's  Bay  have  also  now  been  visited 
without  result. 

The  intelligence  wliich  Capt  Forsyth  brought  home 


1 « 


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o 
o 


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pM.li 


m 


TOTAGE  OF  THE  PEINOB  ALBKBT. 


SSft 


has,  as  a  matter  of  coarse,  excited  the  most  intense  in- 
terest in  na^al  circles,  and  among  the  fHdnds  and  rela- 
tives of  the  parties  absent  in  the  Erebus  and  Terror, 
the  more  so  masmuch  as  it  has  been  ascertained  at 
Chatliam  Dockyard  that  the  rope  which  Captain  For- 
syth found  on  the  spot  when  he  visited  it,  and  copied 
Capt.  Ommaney's  notice,  is  proved  by  its  yellow  mark 
to  have  been  manufactured  there,  and  certainly  since 
1824: ;  and  moreover,  from  inquiries  instituted,  very 
strong  evidence  has  been  elicited  in  favor  of  the  belief 
that  the  rope  was  made  between  the  years  1841  and 
1849.  That  the  trail  of  the  Franklin  expedition,  or 
some  detachment  of  it,  has  been  struck,  there  cannot 
be  the  slightest  doubt  in  the  mind  of  any  one  who  has 
read  the  dispatches  and  reports.  That  Captain  Om- 
maney  felt  satisfied  on  this  score  is  evident  from  the 
terms  of  the  paper  he  left  behind  him.  The  squadron, 
it  appears,  were  in  full  cry  upon  the  scent  on  the  25th 
of  August,  and  we  must  wait  patiently,  but  anxiously, 
for  the  next  accounts  of  the  results  of  their  indefatiga- 
ble researches,  which  can  hardly  reach  us  from  Bar- 
row's Strait  before  the  autumn  of  1851. 

There  can  be  no  doubt  now  in  the  mind  of  any  one, 
that  the  Arctic  Searching  Expeditions  have  at  length 
come  ^on  traces,  if  not  the  track  of  Sir  John  Frank- 
lin. The  accounts  brought  by  Captain  Forsyth  must 
have  at  least  satisfied  the  most  desponding  that  there 
is  still  hope  left  —  that  the  ships  have  not  mundered  in 
Baffin's  Bay,  at  the  outset  of  the  voyage,  nor  been 
crushed  in  the  ice,  and  barned  bv  a  savage  tribe  of 
Esquimaux,  who  had  murdered  the  crew.  That  the 
former  might  have  happened,  all  must  admit ;  but  to 
tlie  latter,  few,  we  imagine,  will  give  their  assent,  no^ 
witnstanding  tlie  numerous  cruel  rumors  promulgated 
from  time  to  time.  It  would  be  idle  to  dwell  upon  so 
impossible  an  event.  Where  could  this  savage  tribe 
gpnng  from  ?  Mr.  Saunders  describes  the  natives  of 
Wolstenholme  Sonnd  as  the  most  miserable  f^nd  help* 
less  of  mortals.  They  had  no  articles  obtained  from 
Europeans  ;  and  he  was  of  opinion  that  then^  were  do 


iw!   ' 


!''^ 


l;'*^ 

»'  1 1 


1 1 


856 


PBOOBESS   OF   ABOTIO   OISOOVEBT. 


settlements  further  north  ;  and  if  there  were,  doubtlesi 
they  would  be  even  more  impotent  than  these  wretched 
beines.  That  the  ship  misht  have  foundered  all  must 
admit.  Hie  President  did  so  with  many  a  gallant  soul 
on  board.  The  Avenger  ran  on  the  Sjrelli,  and  300 
brave  fellows,  in  an  instant,  met  with  a  watery  grave  ; 
and  till  the  sea  shall  give  up  her  dead,  who  can  count 
the  thousands  that  lie  beneath  the  billows  of  the  mightv 
ocean  ?  We  have  now  certain  evidence  that  Franklin^s 
ships  did  not  founder — not,  at  least,  in  Baffin's  Bay  ; 
and  our  own  belief,  (says  a  well-informed  and  compe- 
tent writer  in  the  Morning  Herald,)  is  that  the  pennant 
still  floats  in  the  northern  breeze,  amid  eternal  regions 
of  snow  and  ice. 

The  voyage  performed  by  the  Prince  Albert  has  thus 
been  the  means  of  keeping  alive  our  hopes,  and  of  in- 
forming us,  up  to  a  certain  point,  of  the  progress  of 
the  expeditions,  and  the  situation  of  the  dinerent  ships, 
of  which  we  might  have  been  left  in  a  state  of  utter 
ignorance  till  the  close  of  this  year.  Every  thing  con- 
nected with  the  navigation  of  the  arctic  seas  is  a 
chaifce,  coupled,  of  course,  with  skill ;  and  in  looking 
at  this  voyage  performed  by  Lady  Franklin's  little 
vessel,  it  must  be  obvious  to  every  one  that  Captain 
Forsyth  has  had  the  chance  of  an  open  season,  and  the 
skill  to  make  use  of  it. 

"  Live  a  thousand  years,"  and  we  may  never  pee  such 
another  voyage  perrormed.  We  have  only  to  look  at 
all  that  have  preceded.  Parry,  it  is  true,  in  one  year 
ran  to  Melville  Island,  and  passing  a  winter,  got  back 
to  England  the  following  season  —  and  this  is  at  present 
the  ne  plus  ultra  of  arctic  navigation.  Sir  John  Ross, 
we  know,  went  out  in  the  Victory  to  Regent  Inlet,  and 
was  frozen  in  for  four  years,  and  all  the  world  gave 
him  up  for  lost — but  "there's  life  in  the  old  dog  yet,'* 
as  the  song  has  it. 
.  Sir  James  Ross  was  frozen  in  at  Leopold  Harbor, 
and  only  got  out,  afle**  T^assing  a  winter,  to  be  carried 
away  in  a  floe  of  ice  into  Baffin's  Bay,  which  no  human 
ekill  could  prevent 


CAPTAIN  m'cLINTOCk's 


EXPEDITION. 


357 


a 


Sir  George  Back  was  to  make  a  summer's  cruise  to 
Wager  Inlet,  and  return  to  England.  The  result  every 
one  knows  or  may  make  himself  acquainted  with,  by 
reading  the  fearful  voyage  of  the  'Terror,'  an  abstract  of 
which  has  already  been  given.  It  would  be  superfluous  to 
enumerate  all  of  the  long  series  of  polar  voyages,  but 
it  is  not  improbable  that  Captain  Forsyth's  voyage,  per- 
formcl  in  the  summer  months  of  1850,  will  be  handed 
down  to  posterity  as  one  of  the  most  remarkable,  if  not 
the  most  remarkable,  that  has  ever  been  accomplished  in 
the  arctic  seas — the  expedition  consisting  of  one  solitary 
small  vessel. 

The  main  object  of  the  voyage,  it  is  true,  had  not  been 
accomplished,  but  as  all  the  harbors  in  Regent  Inlet  were 
frozen  up,  and  it  was  utterly  impossible  to  cut  through  a 
vast  tract  of  ice,  extending  for  perhaps  four  or  five  miles, 
to  get  the  ship  to  a  secure  anchorage,  under  these  circum- 
stances, Captain  Forsyth  had  no  alternative  but  to  return, 
and  in  doing  so,  he  has,  in  the  opinion  of  all  the  best-in- 
formed officers,  displayed  great  good  sense  and  judgment 
rather  than  remain  frozen  in  at  the  Wellington  Channel, 
where  he  only  went  to  reconnoiter,  and  where  he  had  no 
business  whatever,  his  instructions  being  confined  to 
itegent  Inlet. 


Addendat-Last  Years  of  Lady    Jane   Franklin- 
Capt.  Francis  McClintock's  search  in  the  "  Fox 
— Sir  John    Franklin's 
iiTii,   1S47. 


fate — His   D|:ath,   June 


Lady  Jane  Franklin,  the  second  wife  of  Sir  John  Frank- 
lin, to  whose  unwearied  energy,  devotion,  and  hopeful- 
ness, when  hope  had  sunk  in  all  other  hearts,  we  are  in- 
debted for  the  knowledge  of  the  fate  of  her  gallant  hus- 
band, was  the  daughter  of  John  Griffen,  Esq.,  of  Bedford 
Place,  London,  and  v/as  married  to  Sir  John  Franklin  in 
November,  1826.  English  and  American  seamen,  whalers 
and  scientists  were  equally  and  emulously  stimulated  by 
her  large  rewards,  her  indefatigable  voice  and  her  pen,  to 
search  for  the  missing  Erebus  and  Terror,  which  were  last 


I 


I  an 


C3 


»5d 


PltoGBESS  OF  ABSTIO  DISCOYXBT. 


I  i 


:^    I' 


seen  in  July,  1845.  In  the  course  of  eleven  years  from 
1845  to  1857,  upwards  of  twenty  separate  expeditions,  at 
the  cost  of  over  $5,000,000  and  hundreds  of  precious  lives 
went  out  to  look  for  the  missing  crews.  The  fate  of  Sir 
John  and  his  men  was  only  definitely  ascertained  in  18^9, 
by  Capt.  Francis  McCiintock,  commander  of  the  *  Fox,  a 
little  vessel  of  177  tons,  formerly  the  pleasure  yacht 
of  Sir  Richard  Sutton,  which  was  purchased,  and 
fitted  out  and  furnished  with  a  crew  of  24  volunteers 
by  Lady  Franklin  in  1857.  It  then  appeared  that  Frank- 
lin had  died  on  the  nth  June,  1847,  in  the  62d  year 
of  his  age,  fortunately  before  his  sympathetic  heart 
had  been  lacerated  by  witnessing  the  awful  suflfenngs  of 
his  men.  Lady  Franklin's  interest  in  Arctic  explorations 
did  not  terminate  with  the  discovery  of  her  husband's  fate  ; 
it  never  flagged  up  to  her  last  illness  and  death  in  1875. 

The  adventures  and  important  discoveries  of  McCiintock 
and  his  crew,  among  which  were  the  Esquimau  Car' 
Petersen,  interpreter,  the  famous  companion  of  Dr.  Kanc^ 
«U1  be  related  in  their  proper  place  in  this  history. 


P:'! 


M :: 


X 


1^ 

■  J, 

lpl 

■  fi    '■ 

fflriif 

Im!'\ 

jHl  ^ 

JH*      !• 

m^*'\  \  'j 

1" 

'     i 

I  i 


I.lt 


N 


Ifi 


•i> 


!.*• 


\it 


mi 


ufiftMifl 


THE  AMERICAN  AROnO  EXPEDITIOK. 


The  Fibst  Gbinnell  Expedition  m  the  Advanob  and 
Bbsoue,  sent  out  bt  Henbt  Gbinnell,  Esq.,  undkb 
oosodAND  OF  Lieutenant  De  Haven,  in  the  tkabi 
1850  AND  1851. 


The  safe  return  of  the  expedition  sent  out  by  Mr 
Henry  Grinnell,  an  opulent  merchant  of  New  York  city 
in  search  of  Sir  John  Franklin  and  his  companions,  is 
an  event  of  much  interest ;  and  the  voyage,  though  not 
resulting  in  the  discovery  of  the  long-absent  manners, 
presents  many  considerations  satisfactory  to  the  j)artie8 
.mmediately  concerned,  and  the  American  public  in 
general. 

Mr.  Grinnell's  expedition  consisted  of  only  two  small 
brigs,  the  Advance  of  140  tons  ;  the  Rescue  of  only  ^ 
tons.  The  former  had  been  engaged  in  the  Havana 
trade  ;  the  latter  was  a  new  vessel  built  (or  the  mer- 
chant service.  Both  were  strengthened  lor  the  arctic 
voyage  at  a  heavy  cost.  They  were  then  placed  under 
the  directions  of  our  Navy  Board,  and  subject  to  naval 
regulations,  as  if  in  permanent  service.  The  command 
was  given  to  Lieut.  E.  De  Haven,  a  young  naval  oflBcer 
who  accompanied  the  United  States  exploring  expedi- 
tion. The  result  has  proved  that  a  better  choice  could 
not  have  been  made.  His  officers  consisted  of  Mr. 
Murdgch,  sailing-master  ;  Dr.  E.  K.  Kane,  surgeon  and 
naturalist ;  and  Mr.  Lovell,  midshipman.  The  A  dvance 
had  a  crew  of  twelve  men  when  she  sailed  ;  two  of  them 
complaining  of  sickness,  and  expressing  a  desire  to 
return  home,  were  left  at  the  Danisli  settlement  at  Disco 
Island,  on  the  coast  of  Greenland. 

The  Expedition  left  New  York  on  the  28d  of  May 
1850,  and  was  absent  a  little  more  than  sixtec^r.  months 
They  passed  the  eastern  extremity  of  Nev/foundland 


^ 


362 


PEOGIUESS  €Sr  ABCTTtL   DISCOVERT. 


i)      ' 

Iff 


4  i  i 


m\ 


i(! 


1?;:  ; 

; 

1 

I! 

i 
1 

1 

1 

^! 

i 

■ 

ten  days  after  Itr^ng  Sandy  Hock,  and  then  sailed 
east-northeast,  directly  for  Cape  Comfort,  on  the  coast 
of  Greenland.  The  weather  was  generally  fine,  and 
only  a  single  accident  occurred  on  the  voyage  to  that 
country  ot  frost  and  snow.  Off  the  coast  of  Xabradoi 
they  met  an  iceberg  making  its  way  toward  the  tropics. 
The  night  was  very  dark,  and  as  the  huge  voyager  had 
no  "  light  out,"  the  Advance  could  not  be  censured  for 
running  foul.  She  was  punished,  however,  by  the  loss 
of  her  jib  boom,  as  she  ran  against  the  iceberg  at  the 
rate  of  seven  or  eight  knots  an  hour. 

The  voya^era  did  not  land  at  Cape  Comfort,  but 
turning  northward,  sailed  along  the  southwest  coast  of 
Greenland,  sometimes  in  the  midst  of  broaa  acres  of 
broken  ice,  (particularly  in  Davis'  Straits,)  as  far  as 
Whale  Island.  On  the  way  the  anniversary  of  our 
national  independence  occurred  ;  it  was  observed  by 
tlie  seamen  by  "  splicing  the  main-brace  " —  in  other 
words,  they  were  allowed  an  extra  glass  of  grog  on  that 
day. 

l*i"om  "Whale  Island,  a  boat,  with  two  officers  and 
four  Heamen,  was  sent  to  Disco  Island,  a  distance  of 
about  26  miles,  to  a  Danish  settlement  tljere,  to  procure 
skin  clothing  and  other  articles  necessary  for  use  during 
the  rigors  of  a  polar  winter.  The  offic^ers  were  enter- 
tained at  the  government  house  ;  the  seamen  v;ere  com- 
foriubly  lodged  with  the  Esquimaux,  sleeping  in  fur 
bags  at  night.  Tliey  returned  to  the  ship  the  following 
day,  and  the  expedition  proceeded  on  its  voyage.  Wli on 
[lassing  the  little  Danish  settlement  of  Upernavick,  they 
were  boarded  by  natives  for  the  first  time.  They  were 
out  in  government  whale-boats,  hunting  for  ducks  and 
seals.  These  hardy  children  of  the  Arctic  Circle  were 
Uwt  shy,  for  through  the  Danes,  the  English  wluilers,and 
government  expeditions,  they  hud  become  acquainted 
with  men  of  other  latitudes. 

When  the  expedition  reached  Melville  Bay,  which, 
on  account  of  its  fearful  chara  ^ter,  is  also  called  tha 
DeviVs  Nip^  the  voyagers  began  to  witness  more  of 
the  grandeur  and  perils  of  arctic  scenes.    Icebergs  of 


« 


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i  ( 


1  ;  '    ■'  , 


h 

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i 

i  ■     : 

?  ■:  ■    ;  ■  ^ 

,; 

THE   AMERICAN   AKCTIO   EXPEDITION. 


865 


all  dimensionB  came  beariiig  down  from  the  Polar  seas, 
like  vast  squadrons,  and  the  roar  of  their  rending  came 
over  the  waters  like  the  booming  of  heavy  broadsides 
of  contending  navies.  They  also  encountered  immense 
floes,  with  only  narrow  channels  between,  and  at  times 
their  situation  was  exceedingly  perilous.  On  one  occa- 
sion, after  heaving  through  fields  of  ice  for  five  consecu- 
tive weeks,  two  immense  floes,  between  which  ther 
were  making  their  way,  gradually  approached  each 
other,  and  for  several  hours  they  expected  their  tiny 
vessels  —  tiny  when  compared  with  the  mighty  objects 
around  them  —  would  be  crushed.  An  immense  calf 
of  ice,  six  or  eight  feet  thick,  slid  under  the  Rescue, 
lifting  her  almost  "  high  and  dry,"  and  careening  her 
partially  upon  her  beam  ends.  Bv  means  of  ice-an- 
chors, (large  iron  hooks,)  they  kept  her  from  capsizing. 
In  this  position  they  remained  about  sixty  hours,  when, 
with  saws  and  axes,  they  succeeded  in  relieving  her. 
The  ice  now  opened  a  little,  and  they  finally  warped 
through  into  clear  water.  While  they  were  thus  con- 
fined, polar  bears  came  around  them  in  abundance, 
greedy  for  prey,  and  the  seamen  indulged  a  little  in  the 
perilous  sports  of  the  chase. 

The  open  sea  continued  but  a  short  time,  when  they 
again  became  entangled  among  bergs,  fioes,  and  hum- 
mocks,  and  encountered  the  most  fearful  perils.  Some- 
times they  anchored  their  vessels  to  icebergs,  and  some- 
times to  noes  or  masses  of  hummock.  On  one  of  these 
occasions,  while  the  cook,  an  active  Frenchman,  was 
upon  a  berg,  making  a  place  for  an  anchor,  the  mass  of 
ice  split  beneath  him,  and  he  was  dropped  through  the 
yawning  fissure  into  the  water,  a  distance  of  almost 
thirty  fiet.  Fortunately  the  masses,  as  is  often  the 
case,  did  not  close  up  again,  but  floated  apart,  and  the 
poor  cook  was  hauled  on  board  more  dead  than  alive, 
from  excessive  fright.  It  was  in  this  fearful  region  that 
ihev  first  encountered  pack-ice,  and  there  they  were 
•  Dcked  in  from  the  7th  to  the  23d  of  July.  During  that 
time  they  were  joined  by  the  yacht  Prince  Albert,  com* 
roanded  by  Captain  Forsyth,  of  the  Royal  Navy,  and 


*B 


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:'t'    -t: 


366 


PB0QEE3S  OF  ARGTIO  DISCOVERT. 


together  the  three  vessels  were  anchored,  for  a  Vhile, 
to  an  immense  field  of  ice,  in  siffht  of  the  DeviPa 
Thumb.  That  high,  rocky  peak,  situated  in  latitude 
74^  22',  was  about  thirty  miles  distant,  and  with  the 
dark  hills  adjaceA,  presented  a  strange  aspect  where 
all  was  white  and  glittering.  The  pack  and  the  hills 
are  masses  of  rock,  with  occasionally  a  lichen  or  a  moss 
growing  upon  their  otherwise  naked  surfaces.  In  the 
midst  of  the  vast  ice-field  loomed  up  many  lofty  bergs, 
all  of  them  in  motion  —  slow  and  majestic  motion. 

From  the  Devil's  Thumb  the  American  vessels  passed 
onward  through  the  pack  toward  Sabine's  Islands,  while 
the  Prince  Albert  essayed  to  make  a  more  westerly 
course.  They  reached  Cape  York  at  the  beginning  of 
August.  Far  across  the  ice,  landward,  they  discovered, 
through  their  glasses,  several  men,  apparently  making 
signals  ;  and  for  a  while  they  rejoiced  in  the  belief  that 
they  saw  a  pori'on  of  Sir  John  Franklin's  companions. 
Four  men,  (among  whom  was  our  sailor-artist,)  wer<» 
dispatched  with  a  whale-boat  to  reconnoiter.  They  soon 
discovered  the  men  to  be  Esquimaux,  who,  by  signs, 
professed  great  friendship,  and  endeavored  to  get  the 
voyagers  to  accompany  them  to  their  homes  beyond 
the  hills.  They  declined  ;  and  as  soon  as  they  returned 
to  the  vessel,  the  expedition  again  pushed  forward,  and 
made  its  way  to  Cape  Dudley  Digges,  which  they 
reached  on  the  7th  of  August. 

At  Cape  Dudley  Digges  they  were  charmed  hy  tlif, 
sight  of  tne  Crimson  Cliffs,  spoken  of  by  Captain  Parry 
and  other  arctic  navigators.  These  are  lofty  clifis  of 
dark  brown  stone,  covered  with  snow  of  a  rich  crimson 
color.  It  was  a  magnificent  sight  in  that  cold  region, 
to  see  such  an  apparently  warm  object  standing  oi;t  in 
bold  relief  against  the  dark  blue  back-ground  of  a  polar 
sky.  This  was  the  most  northern  point  to  which  the 
expedition  penetrated.  The  whole  coast  which  they 
had  passed  fr^m  Disco  to  this  cape  is  high,  rugged,  and 
barren,  only  some  of  the  low  points,  stretching  into  the 
sea,  bearing  a  species  of  dwarf  fi».  Northeast  from 
the  cape  rise  the  Arctic  Highlands,  tte  an  unknown  alti- 


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iii 


THE   AMEBIOAN   ARCTIC  EXPEDITION. 


871 


I 


rude  ;  and  stretching  away  northward  is  the  unexplored 
Smith's  Sound,  filled  with  impenetrable  ice. 

From  Cape  Dudley  Digges,  the  Advance  and  Reen 
cue,  beating  against  wind  and  tide  in  the  midst  of  the 
ice-fields,  made  Wolstenholmo  Sound,  and  then  chang- 
ing their  course  to  the  southwest,  emerged  from  tlie 
fidds  into  the  open  waters  of  Lancaster  Sound.  Here, 
on  the  18th  of  August,  they  encountered  a  tremendous 
gale,  which  lasted  about  twenty-four  hours.  The  two 
vessels  parted  company  during  the  storm,  and  remained 
separate  several  oays.  Across  Lancaster  Sound,  the 
Advance  made  her  way  t<v  Barrow's  Straits,  and  on  the 
22d  discovered  the  Prince  Albert  on  the  southern  shore 
of  the  straits,  near  Leopold  Island,  a  mass  of  lofty, 
recipitous  rocks,  dark  and  barren,  and  hooded  and 
raped  with  snow.  The  weather  was  fine,  and  soon 
the  officenB  and  crews  of  the  two  vessels  met  in  friendly 
greeting.  Those  of  the  Prince  Albert  were  much  as- 
tomshea,  for  they  (being  towed  by  a  steamer,)  left  the 
Americans  in  Melville  Bay  on  the  6th,  pressing  north- 
ward through  the  pack,  and  could  not  conceive  how 
they  so  soon  and  safely  penetrated  it.  Captain  For- 
syth had  attempted  to  reach  a  particular  point,  where 
he  intended  to  remain  through  the  winter,  but  finding 
•ihe  passage  thereto  completely  blocked  up  with  ice,  he 
had  resolved,  on  the  very  day  when  the  Americans  ap- 
peared, to  "  'bout  ship,"  and  return  home.  T'lis  fact, 
and  the  disappointment  felt  by  Mr.  Snow,  are  mentioned 
in  our  former  article. 

The  two  vessels  remained  together  a  day  or  two, 
when  they  parted  company,  the  Prince  Albert  to  re» 
iurn  home,  and  the  Advance  to  make  furtlier  explora- 
tions. It  was  ofi'  Leopold  Island,  on  the  22d  of  Au- 
gust, that  the  "  mad  Yankee  "  took  the  lead  through  the 
vast  masses  of  floating  ice,  so  vividly  described  by  Mr. 
Snow,  and  so  graphically  portrayed  by  the  sailor-artist. 
"  The  way  was  before  them,"  says  Mr.  Snow,  who  stood 
upon  the  deck  of  the  Advance  ;  "  the  stream  of  ice  had 
to  be  either  gone  through  boldly,  or  a  long  detour  made; 
and,  despite  the  heaviness  of  the  stream,  theyyxtahsd 


I 


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I^V. 


f  . 


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1     i 
I  't  i 


A  Utt.    ,    !  1 


i, 


«72 


PBOORESB   OF  AEOTIO  DISCOTERT. 


the  vessel  through  in  her  proper  course.  Two  or  three 
Bhocks,  as  she  came  in  contact  with  some  large  pieces, 
were  unheeded  ;  and  the  moment  the  last  bloct  was 
past  the  bow,  the  officer  sung  out,  *  So  :  steady  as  she 
^oes  on  her  course  ;'  and  came  ail  as  if  nothing  more 
than  ordinary  sailing  had  been  going  on.  I  oosserved 
our  own  little  bark  nobly  following  in  the  American's 
wake ;  and  as  I  afterward  learned,  she  got  through  it 
pretty  well,  though  not  witliout  much  doubt  of  the  pro- 
priety of  keeping  on  in  such  procedure  after  the  '  mad 
Yankee,*  as  he  was  called  by  our  mate." 

From  Leopold  Island  the  Advance  proceeded  to  the 
northwest,  and  on  the  25th  reached  Cape  Riley,  an 
other  amorphous  mass,  not  so  regular  and  precipitate 
as  Leopold  Island,  but  more  lofty.  Here  a  strong  tide, 
setting  in  to  tlie  shore,  drifted  the  Advance  toward  the 
beach,  where  she  stranded.  Around  her  were  small 
bergs  and  large  masses  of  floating  ice,  all  under  the 
influence  of  the  strong  on'-'nt.  It  was  about  two 
o'clock  in  the  afternoon  v  i  ii  she  struck.  By  diligent 
labor  in  removing  every  thing  from  her  deck  to  a  small 
floe,  she  was  so  lightened,  that  at  four  o'clock  the  next 
morning  she  floated,  and  soon  every  thing  was  properly 
replaced. 

I^ear  Cape  Kiley  the  Americans  fell  in  with  a  por- 
tion of  an  English  Expedition,  and  there  also  the 
Hescue,  left  behind  in  the  gale  in  Lancaster  Sound, 
overtook  the  Advance.  There  was  Captain  Penny 
with  the  Sophia  and  Lady  Franklin ;  the  veteran  Sir 
John  Ross,  with  the  Felix,  and  Commodore  Austin, 
with  the  Resolute  steamer.  Together  the  navigators 
of  both  nations  explored  the  coast  at  and  near  Cape 
Riley,  and  on  the  27th  they  saw  in  a  cove  on  the  shore 
of  Beechey  Island,  or  Beechey  Cape,  on  the  east  side  of 
the  entrance  to  "Wellington  Channel,  unmistakable  evi 
deuce  that  Sir  John  Franklin  and  his  companions  were 
there  in  April,  1846.  There  they  found  many  articles 
known  to  belong  to  the  British  Navy,  and  some  that 
were  the  property  of  the  Erebus  and  Terror,  the  ships 
under  the  command  of  Sir  John.    There  lay,  bleached 


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THE  AMERICAN    AIJOTIO   EXl'EDITION. 


875 


to'  the  whiteness  of  the  surrounding  snow,  a  piece  of 
canvas,  with  the  name  of  the  Terror,  marked  upon  it 
with  indestructible  charcoal.  It  was  very  faint,  yet 
perfectly  legible.  Near  it  was  a 
guide  board,  lying  flat  upon  its 
face,  having  been  prostrated  by 
the  wind.  It  had  evidently  been 
used  to  direct  exploring  parties  to 
the  vessels,  or  rather,  to  the  en- 
campment on  shore.  The  board 
was  pine,  thirteen  inches  in  length 
and  six  and  a  half  in  breadth,  and 
nailed  to  a  boarding  pike  eight 
feet  in  lenMh.  It  is  supposed 
that  the  sudden  opening  of  the 
ice,  caused  Sir  John  to  depart 
hastily,  and  in  so  doing,  this  pike 
and  its  board  were  left  behind. 
They  also  found  a  large  number 
of  tin  canisters, 
such  as  are  used 
for  packing  meats 
for  a  sea  voyage;  an 
anvil  block :  rem- 
nants of  clothing, 
which  evinced,  by 
numerous  patches 
and  their  thread- 
bare character,that 
they  had  been  worn 
as  long  as  the  own- 
ers could  keep  them  anvil  block.  guide  board 
on ;  the  remains  of  an  India  Rubber  glove,  lined  wit* 
wool ;  some  old  sacks ;  i  cask,  or  tub,  partly  filled  with 
charcoal,  and  an  UL^nithed  rope-mat,  which,  like  othei 
dbrous  fabrics,  was  bleached  white. 

But  the  most  interesting,  and  aC  the  same  time  most 
melancholy  traces  of  the  navigators,  were  three  graves, 
in  a  little  sheltered  cove,  each  with  a  board  at  the  head, 
bearing  the  name  of  the  sleeper  below.    These  inscrip- 


IMAGE  EVALUATION 
TEST  TARGET  (MT-3) 


4 


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z 


1.0 


I.I 


1.25 


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US 
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Photographic 

Sciences 
Corporation 


33  WEST  f»  AIN  STREET 

W,;p>t<fR,N.Y.  M580 

(716)  872-45C3 


876 


PSOGBESS   OF   ARCTIC   DISCOVERY. 


ti^ns  testify  positively  when  Sir  John  and  his  compan 
Ions  were  there.  The  board  at  the  head  of  the  gray« 
on  the  left  has  the  following  inscription : 

"  Sacred  to  the  memory  of  John  Torringtok,  who 
departed  this  life,  January  Ist,  a  d.,  1846,  on  board 
her  Majesty's  ship  Terror,  aged  20  years." 

On  the  center  one  —  "Sacred  to  the  memory  of 
John  Habtnell,  A.  B.,  of  her  Majesty's  ship  Erebus; 
died,  January  4th,  1846,  aged  25  years.  *  Thus  saith 
the  Lord  of  Hosts,  Conoider  your  ways ;'  Haggai,  chap, 
i.  5,  7." 

On  the  right — "  Sacred  to  the  memory  of  "W.  Brainb, 
R.  M.,  ofher  Majesty's  ship  Erebus,  who  died  April  3d, 
1846,  aged  32  years.  *  Choose  you  this  day  whom  you 
will  serve :'  Joshua,  chap,  xxiv.,  part  of  the  ISth  verse." 


THREE  GRAVES  AT  BEEOHET. 

How  much  later  than  April  3d  (the  date  upon  the 
astnamed  head-board,) Sir  John  remained  at Beechey, 
can  not  be  determined.  They  saw  evidences  of  his 
having  gone  northward,  for  sledge  tracks  in  that  di- 
rection were  visible.  It  is  the  opinion  of  Dr.  Kane 
that,  on  the  breaking  up  of  the  ice,  in  the  spring,  Sir 
John  passed  northward  with  his  ships  through  'Welling- 
ton Ohannel,  into  the  great  Polar  basin,  and  that  he 
did  not  return.  This,  too,  is  the  opinion  of  Oaptain 
Fenny,  and  he  zealously  urges  the  British  eovemment 
to  send  a  powerful  screw  steamer  to  pass  through  that 


» 


i  If 


TBE  AMBBIOAK   ABCriO  EXPEDITION. 


879 


ekannel,  and  'q>lore  the  theoretically  more  hospitable 
coasts  beyond.  This  will  doubtless  be  undertakuu 
another  season,  it  being  the  opinions  of  Captains  Parry, 
Beechey,  Sir  John  Eoss,  and  others,  expressed  at  a  con- 
ference with  the  board  of  Admiralty,  in  September,  tljat 
the  seas'.n  was  too  far  advanced  to  attempt  it  the  pres- 
ent year.  Dr.  Kane,  in  a  letter  to  Mr.  Grinnell,  since 
the  return  of  the  expiidition,  thus  expresses  his  opin* 
ion  concerning  the  safety  of  Sir  John  and  his  com- 
panions. After  saying,  ^'I  should  think  that  he  is 
now  to  be  sought  for  north  and  west  of  Cornwallis 
Island,"  he  adds,  "  as  to  the  chance  of  the  destruction 
of  his  party  by  the  casualties  of  ice,  the  return  of  our 
own  party  after  something  more  than  the  usual  share 
of  them,  is  the  only  tact  that  I  can  add  to  what  we 
knew  when  we  set  .out.  The  hazards  from  cold  and 
privation  of  food  may  be  almost  looked  upon  as  sub- 
ordinate. The  snow-hut,  the  fire  and  light  from  the 
moss-lamp  fed  with  blubber,  the  seal,  the  narwhal,  the 
white  whale,  and  occasionally  abundant  stores  of  mi- 
gratory birds,  would  sustain  vigorous  life.  The  scurvy, 
the  worst  visitation  of  explorers  deprived  of  perma- 
nent quarters,  is  more  rare  in  the  depths  of  a  polar 
winter,  than  in  the  milder  weather  of  the  moist  sum 
mer ;  and  our  two  little  vessels  encountered  both 
seasons  without  losing  a  man." 

Leaving  Beechey  Cape,  our  expedition  forced  its  way 
through  the  ice  to  Barrow's  Inlet,  where  they  narrowly 
escaped  being  frozen  in  for  the  winter.  They  endeav- 
ored to  enter  the  Inlet,  for  the  purpose  of  making  it 
their  winter  quarters,  but  were  prevented  by  the  mass 
of  pack-ice  at  its  entrance.  It  was  on  the  4th  of  Sep- 
tember, 1860,  when  they  arrived  there,  and  after  re- 
maining seven  or  eight  days,  they  abandoned  the 
attempt  to  enter.  On  the  right  and  left  of  the  above 
picture,  are  seen  the  dark  rocks  at  the  entrance  of  the 
Inlet,  and  in  the  center  of  the  frozen  waters  and  the 
ranee  of  hills  beyond.  There  was  much  smooth  ice 
within  the  Inlet,  and  while  the  vessels  lay  anchored 
to  the  **  field,"  officers  and  crew  exercised  and  amused 


I 


/. 


880 


PBOOBESS  OF  ABOTIO  DISOOYERT 


'?:.; 


■it' 


I'i, 


UJij 


tbemselves  by  skating.  On  the  left  of  the  Inlet,  (in 
dicated  by  the  dark  conical  object,)  they  diecovered  a 
Cairn,  (a  heap  of  stones  with  a  cavity,)  eight  or  ten 
feet  in  height,  which  was  erected  b^  Oaptain  Ommaney 
of  the  English  Expedition  then  in  the  polar  waters. 
Within  it  lie  had  placed  two  letters,  for  **  Whom  it 
might  concern."  Commander  De  Haven  also  depos- 
ited a  letter  there.  It  is  believed  to  be  the  only  post 
office  in  the  world,  free  for  the  use  of  all  nations.  The 
rocks,  here,  presented  vast  fissures  made  by  the  frost; 
and  at  the  foot  of  the  cliff  on  the  right  that  powerful 
agent  had  cast  down  vast  heaps  of  debris. 

From  Barlow's  Inlet,  our  expedition  moved  slowly 
westward,  battling  with  the  ice  every  rood  of  the  way, 
until  they  reached  Griffin's  Island,  at  about  96°  west 
longitude  from  Greenwich.  This  was  attained  on  the 
11th,  and  was  the  extreme  westing  made  by  the  expe- 
dition. All  beyond  seemed  impenetrable  ice;  and, 
despairing  of  making  any  further  discoveries  before  the 
winter  should  set  in,  they  resolved  to  return  home. 
Turning  eastward,  they  hoped  to  reach  Davis'  Strait 
by  the  southern  route,  before  the  cold  and  darkness 
came  on ;  but  they  were  doomed  to  disappointment 
Near  the  entrance  to  Wellington  Channel  tney  became 
completely  locked  in  by  hummock-ice,  and  soon  fouiid 
themselves  drifting  with  an  irresistible  tide  up  that 
channel  toward  the  pole. 

Now  began  the  most  perilous  adventures  of  the  navi- 
gators. The  summer  day  was  drawing  to  a  close ;  the 
aiumal  visits  of  the  pale  sun  were  rapidly  shortening, 
and  soon  the  long  polar  night,  with  all  its  darkness  and 
horrors,  would  ftul  upon  them.  Slowly  they  drifted  in 
those  vast  fields  of  ice,  whither,  or  to  what  result,  they 
knew  not.  Locked  in  the  moving  yet  compact  mass ; 
liable  at  every  moment  to  be  crushed ;  far  away  from 
land  ;  the  mercury  sinking  daily  lower  and  lower  from 
the  zero  figure,  toward  the  point  where  that  metal 
freezes,  they  felt  small  hope  of  ever  reaching  home  again. 
Yet  they  prepared  for  winter  comforts  and  winter  sports, 
as  cheorfnlly  as  if  lying  safe  in  Barlow's  Inlet     As  ih.% 


et,  (in 
ered  a 
or  ten 
maney 

waters. 
Lom  it 
depoB* 
J  post 
,  The 
I  frost; 
werful 

slowly 
e  way, 
i°  west 
on  the 
>  expe- 
;  and, 
:»re  the 
home. 
Strait 
rkness 
tment. 
ecame 
fon.'id 
p  that 

3  navi- 
e;  the 
;ening, 
ss  ana 
fted  in 
t,  they 
mass; 
J  from 
r  from 
metal 
again, 
sports, 
A.B  the 


p 

\i 

itsii' 

i 


riii3 , 


I 


% 

3 


@ 


9 


THB  AHEBIOAN   ABOTIO  BXPKDrncaU 


885 


i^inter  advancod,  the  crews  of  both  the  vessels  went  on 
Doard  the  larger  one.  They  unshipped  the  ruddera  of 
each,  to  prevent  their  beine  iniureu  oy  the  ice,  covered 
the  deck  of  the  Advance  with  felt,  prepared  their  stores, 
and  made  arrangements  for  enduring  the  long  winter, 
now  upon  them.  Physical  and  mental  activity  being 
nocessarv  for  the  preservation  of  health,  they  '  "v  ex- 
ercised in  the  open  air  for  several  hours.  They  built 
ice  huts,  hunted  the  huge  white  bears  and  the  little  polar 
Hoxes^  and  when  the  darkness  of  the  winter  night  had 
spread  over  them  they  arranged  in-door  amusements 
and  employments. 

Before  the  end  of  October,  the  sun  made  its  appear- 
ance for  the  last  time,  and  the  awtul  polar  night 
closed  in.  Early  in  November  they  wholly  abandoned 
the  Rescue,  and  both  crews  made  the  Advance  their 
permuiient  winter  home.  The  cold  soon  became  in- 
tense ;  the  mercury  congealed,  and  the  spirit  thermome- 
ter indicated  46°  below  zero  1  Its  average  range  was 
30°  to  35°.  Tliey  had  drifted  helplessly  up  Wellington 
Channel,  almost  to  the  latitude  from  whence  Capta'.n 
Penny  saw  an  open  sea,  and  which  all  believe  to  bo 
the  great  polar  basin,  where  there  is  a  more  gcnia. 
clime  than  that  which  intervenes  between  the  Arctic 
Circle  and  the  75th  degree.  Here,  when  almost  in 
sight  of  the  open  ocean,  that  mighty  polar  tide,  with 
its  vast  masses  of  ice,  suddenly  ebbed,  and  our  little 
vessels  were  carried  back  as  resistlessly  as  before, 
through  Barrow's  Straits  into  Lancaster  Sound  I  All 
this  while  the  immense  fields  of  hummock-ice  were 
moving,  and  the  vessels  were  in  hourlv  danger  of  being 
crushed  and  destroyed.  At  length,  while  drifting 
through  Barrow's  Straits,  the  congealed  mass,  as  if 
crushed  together  by  the  opposite  shores,  became  more 
compact,  and  the  Advance  was  elevated  almost  seven 
feet  Dy  the  stem,  and  keeled  two  feet  eight  inches,  star- 
board. In  this  position  she  remained,  with  Tery  little 
alteration  for  five  consecutive  months  ;  for,  soon  after 
entering  Bafiin's  Bay  in  the  midst  of  the  winter,  the 
ice  became  frozen  in  one  immense  tract,  coyering  mil 


I  't 


t;-v*j 


3S6 


PBOORRSS  OF   ARCriC   DISCUVKRT. 


& 


jons  of  acres.  Thus  f**ozcn  in,  somotimos  nioro  than  a 
bund  red  miles  from  land,  tlicy  dritlod  slowlv  along  the 
southwest  coast  of  Battings  Bay,  a  distance  ot  more  than 
a  thousand  miles  from  Wollington  Cliannel.  For  eleven 
weeks  that  dreary  night  coiitinued,  and  during  that 
time  the  disc  of  the  sun  was  never  seen  above  tlie  liori 
zon.  Yet  nature  was  not  wiiolly  forbidding  in  a8j)ect 
Sometimes  tiie  Aurora  .^^orcalis  would  flash  up  still 
further  northward  ;  and  sometimes  Aurora  Parhelia — 
mock  suns  and  mock  moons  —  would  appear  in  varied 
bcautyin  the  starry  sky.  Brilliant,  too,  were  the  north- 
ern constellations  ;  and  when  the  real  moon  was  at  its 
full,  it  made  its  stately  circuit  in  the  heavens,  without 
descending  below  the  horizon,  and  lighted  up  the  vast 
piles  of  ice  with  a  pa' .  luster,  almost  as  great  as  the 
morning  twilights  oi  more  genial  skies. 

Around  ti»e  vessels  the  crews  built  a  wall  of  ice  ;  and 
in  ice  huts  ihey  stowed  away  their  cordage  and  stores 
to  make  room  for  exercise  on  the  decks.  They  organ- 
ized a  theatrical  company,  and  amused  themselves  and 
the  officers  with  comedy  well  performed.    Behind  the 

Kieces  of  hummock  each  actor  learned  his  part,  and 
y  means  of  calico  they  transformed  themselves  into 
female  characters,  as  occasion  required.  These  dramas 
were  acted  on  the  deck  of  the  Advance,  sometimes 
while  the  thermometer  indicated  30°  below  zero,  and 
actors  and  audiences  highly  enjoyed  the  ftin.  They 
also  went  in  parties  during  that  long  night,  fully  armed, 
to  hunt  the  polar  bear,  the  grim  monarch  of  the  frozen 
North,  on  which  occasions  they  often  encountered  peril- 
ous adventures.  They  played  at  foot-ball,  and  exercised 
themselves  in  drawing  sleuges,  heavily  laden  with  pro- 
visions. Five  hours  of  each  twenty-four,  they  thus  exer- 
cised in  the  open  air,  and  once  a  week  each  man  washed 
Ins  whole  body  in  cold  snow  water.  Serioub  sickness 
was  consequently  avoided,  and  the  scurvy  which  at- 
tacked them  soon  yielded  to  remedies. 

Often  during  that  fearful  night,  they  expected  the 
disaster  of  having  their  vessels  cmshed.  All  through 
November  and  December,  before  the  ice  became  fiist 


riiK  amkkioa;;  arctic  kxi'Kdition. 


887 


the 
j-ougb 
fast 


tlicy  8lc])t  iu  their  clothes,  with  knai>sack8  on  their 
backs,  and  slodgcs  i  pon  the  ice,  laden  with  etoixse,  not 
knowing  at  what  moment  the  vessels  migiit  be  demol- 
ished, and  themselves  forced  to  leave  tliem,  and  make 
tlieir  way  toward  land.  On  the  8th  of  Decemljer,  and 
tlie  23d  of  Jannary,  they  actually  lowered  their  l)oat8 
and  stood  upon  the  ice,  for  the  cru8hin4>'  masses  were 
making  the  timbers  of  the  gallant  vessel  creak  and  its 
decks  to  rise  in  the  center.  They  were  then  ninety 
mih^s  from  land,  and  hope  hardly  whispered  an  encour- 
aging idea  of  life  bein^  sustained.  G*.  the  latter  occa- 
sion, when  officers  and  crew  stood  upou  the  ice,  with 
the  ropes  of  their  provision  sledges  .n  their  bands,  a 
terrible  snow-drift  came  from  the  northeust,  and  intense 
darkness  shrouded  them.  Had  the  vessel  then  been 
cr.iF'ied,  all  must  have  perished.  But  God,  who  ruled 
the  storm,  also  put  forth  His  protecting  arm  and  saved 
them. 

Early  in  February  the  nortliern  horizon  began  to  bo 
streaked  with  gorgeous  twilight,  the  herald  ot  the  ap- 
proaching king  ot  day  ;  and  on  the  18th  the  disc  of 
the  sun  first  appeared  above  the  horizon.  As  its  golden 
rim  rose  above  the  glittering  snow-drifts  and  pdes  of 
ice,  three  hearty  cheers  went  up  from  those  hardy  mar 
incrs,  and  they  welcomed  their  deliverer  from  the 
chains  of  frost  as  cordially  as  those  of  old  who  chanted, 

"  See  I  the  conquering  hero  comes, 
Sound  the  trumpet,  beat  tlie  drums.*' 

Day  after  day  it  rose  higher  and  higher,  and  while  the 
pallid  faces  of  the  voyagers,  bleached  during  that  long 
night,  darkened  by  its  oeams,  the  vast  masses  of  ice 
began  to  yield  to  its  fervid  influences.  The  scurvy  dis- 
appeared, and  from  that  time,  until  their  arrival  home, 
not  a  man  suffered  from  sickness.  As  they  slowly 
Irlfted  through  Davis'  Straits,  and  the  ice  gave  indiciu 
tions  of  breaking  up,  the  voyagers  made  preparationt 
for  sailing.  The  Rescue  was  re-occupied,  (Mav  13th, 
1861,)  and  her  stone-post,  which  had  been  brolcen  by 
the  ice  in  Banow's  Straits,  was  repaired.  To  accom 
plish  ^8,  tliey  were  obliged  to  dig  away  the  ice  whic}) 


«f 


588 


PROGRESS  OF   A.RCTIO  DISCOVERT. 


if 

r  i 
'1' 

-IT* 


ii; 


It 


was  from  12  to  14  feet  thick  around  lier,  a8  represented 
in  the  enf^ravirg.     They  reshipped  their  rudders  ;  re- 
moved tlie  felt  covering ;  placed  their  stores  on  deck, 
and  then  patiently  awaited  the  disruption  of  tlu5  ice 
This  event  was  very  sudden  and  appalling.    It  boji^aii 
to  give  way  on  the  5th  of  June,  and  in  tlie  space  of 
twenty  minutes  the  whole  mass,  as  far  as  the  eye  could 
reach,  became  one  vast  field  of  moving  floes.     On  the 
10th   of  June,  they  emerged  into  open  water,  a  little 
south  of  the  Arctic  Circle,  in  latitude  65°  30'.    They 
immediately  repaired    to  Godbaven,  on  the  coast  of 
Greenland,  where  they  refitted,  and,  unappalled  by  the 
perils  through  which  they  had  just  passed,  they  once 
more  turned  their  prows  northward  to  encounter  anew 
the  ice  squadrons  of  Baffin's  Bay.    Again  they  trav 
ersed  the  coast  of  Greenland  to  about  the  73d  de- 
gree, when  they  bore  to  the  westward,  and  on  the  7th 
and  8th  of  July,  passed  the  English  whaling  fleet  neaa 
the  Dutch  Islands.      Onward  they  pressed   through 
the  accumulating  ice  to  Baffin's  Island,  where,  on 
the  11th.  they  were  joined  by  the  Prince  Albert,  then 
out  upon  another  cruise.     They  continued   in  com- 
pany until  the  3d  of  August,  when  the  Albert  departed 
for  the  westward,  determined  to  try  the  more  south 
em  passage.     Here  again  our  expedition  encountered 
vast  fields  of  hummock-ice,  and  were  subjected  to  the 
most  imminent  perils.    The  floating  ice,  as  if  moved  by 
adverse  currents,  tumbled  in  huge  masses,  and  reared 
upon  the  sides  of  the  sturdy  little  vessels  like  monsters 
of  the  deep  intent  upon  aestruction.      Tliese  masses 
broke  in  the  bulwarks,  and  sometimes  fell  over  upon 
the  decks  with  terrible  force,  like  rocks  rolled  over  a 
plain  by  mountain  torrents.    The  noise  was  fearful ;  so 
aeatening  that  the  mariners  could  scarcely  hear  each 
other's  voices.     The  sounds  of  these  rolling  masses,  to 
gether  with  the  rending  of  the  icebergs  floating  near, 
and  the  vast  floes,  produced  a  din  like  the  discharge  of 
a  thousand  pieces  of  ordnance  upon  a  field  of  battle 
Finding  the  north  and  west  closed  against  furthei 
progress,  Dy  impenetrable  ice,  the  brave  De  f  laven  waa 


ill'!! 


ercd 
the 

arod 
isters 
asses 
upon 
er  a 
wo 
eac'.b 
,t<> 
iiear. 
geof 
tattle 
vtliei 
1  was 


!8 


Ji 


(II  1 


^  i 


M 


THE   AMEBICAN   ABCTIO  fXPEDITION. 


393 


t.<ilked,  and  turning  his  vessels  homeward,  they  came 
out  into  an  open  sea,  somewhat  crippled,  bat  not  9 
plank  seriously  started.  During  a  storm  on  the  banks 
of  Newfoundland,  a  thousand  miles  from  New  York, 
the  vessels  parted  company.  The  Advance  arrived 
safely  at  the  Navy  Vara  at  Brooklyn  on  the  30th  of 
September,  and  the  Rescue  joined  her  there  a  few  days 
afterward.  Toward  the  close  of  October,  the  govern- 
ment resigned  the  vessels  into  the  hands  of  Mr.  Grin- 
nell,  to  bo  used  in  other  service,  but  with  the  stipulation 
that  they  are  to  be  subject  to  the  order  of  the  Secretary 
of  the  Navy  in  the  spring,  if  required  for  another 
expedition  in  search  of  Sir  John  Franklin. 

We  have  thus  given  a  very  brief  account  of  the  prin- 
cipal events  of  interest  connected  with  the  American 
Arctic  Expedition ;  a  full  report  of  which,  and  detailed 
narratives  have  been  published.  Aside  from  the  suc- 
cess wliich  attended  our  little  vessels  in  encountering  the 
perils  of  the  polar  seas,  there  are  associations  which  must 
forever  hallow  the  effort  as  one  of  the  noblest  exhibitions 
of  the  true  glory  of  nations.  The  navies  of  America  and 
England  have  before  met  upon  the  ocean,  but  they  met 
for  deadly  strife.  Now,  too,  they  met  for  strife,  equally 
determined,  but  not  with  each  other.  They  mot  m  the 
holy  cause  of  benevolence  and  human  sympathy,  to 
battle  with  the  elements  beneath  the  Arctic  Circle  ;  and 
the  chivalric  heroism  which  the  few:  stout  hearts  of  the 
two  nations  displayed  in  that  terrible  conflict,  redounds 
a  thousand-fold  more  to  the  glory  of  the  actors,  their 
governments,  and  the  race,  than  if  four-score  ships 
with  ten  thousand  armed  men  had  fought  for  the  mas- 
tery of  each  other  upon  the  broad  ocean,  and  battered 
hulks  and  marred  corpses  had  gone  down  to  the  cora. 
caves  of  the  sea,  a  dreadful  offering  to  the  demon  of 
Discord.  In  the  latter  event,  troops  of  widows  and  or- 
phan children  would  have  sent  up  a  cry  of  wail ;  now, 
the  heroes  advanced  manfully  to  rescue  husbands  and 
fathers  to  restore  tliem  to  their  wives  and  children. 
Flow  glorious  the  thought  I  and  how  suggestive  of  the 
beauty  of  that  fast  approaching  day,  when  tha  u^ti 


804 


PROOUKSS  OK  ARCTIC    DISCUVKUY. 


Biml)  Bit  down  in  peuco  as  united  ciiildron  of  on<i 
houeebold. 


¥  ■'  fc 


"Winter  in  thk  Akctio  Ockan. 

The  follo^v^ng  narrative,  sliowinf;  tlio  way  tlio  wintoi 
of  1851-52  was  passed  by  those  eiicjaired  in  the  recen 
arctic  expedition,  ia  from  tiie  ofiieial  rej)ort  made  by 
Lieut.  Do  Haven,  the  Coiniiuinder  of  the  expedition 

"On  the  morning  of  tiie  13tli  Se})t.,  1850,  the  wind 
having  moderated  sufliciently,  we  got  under  way,  and 
working  our  way  tlirough  some  streams  of  ice,  arrived 
in  a  few  liours  at  'GriiHth's'  Island,  under  the  lee  of 
which  we  found  our  cimsort  made  fast  to  tlie  shore, 
where  she  had  taken  shelter  in  the  gale,  her  crew  hav- 
ing suftered  a  good  deal  from  the  inclemency  of  the 
weather.  In  bringing  to  under  the  lee  of  the  island, 
Bhe  had  the  mie^brtune  to  s})ring  her  rudder,  so  that  on 
joining  us,  it  was  with  much  difficulty  she  could  steer. 
To  insure  her  safety  and  more  rapid  progress,  she  was 
taken  in  tow  by  the  Advan(;e,  when  she  Lore  up  with 
a  fine  breeze  from  the  westward.  Off  Cape  Martyr, 
M'e  left  the  English  scpuulron  under  Capt.  Austin. 
About  ten  miles  further  to  the  east,  the  twi>  vessels  un- 
der Capt.  Penny,  and  that  under  Sir  John  Rose,  were 
Been  secured  near  the  land.  At  8  p.  m..  we  had  ad- 
vanced as  far  as  Cape  llotham.  Thence  as  far  as  the 
increasing  darkness  of  the  night  enabled  us  to  see,  there 
was  nothmg  to  obstruct  our  pi-ogress,  except  the  bay 
ice.  This,  with  a  good  breeze,  would  not  have  im- 
peded us  much ;  but  unfortunately  the  wind,  when  it  was 
most  required,  failed  us.  The  snow,  with  which  the 
surface  of  the  water  ^^as  covered,  rai)idly  cemented, 
and  formed  a  tenacious  coat,  through  which  it  was  im- 
possible with  all  our  appliances  to  force  the  vessels.  At 
8  p.  M.,  they  came  to  a  dead  stand,  some  ten  nules  to 
the  east  of  Barlow's  Inlet. 

"The  following  day  the  wind  hauled  to  the  Bonthward, 
from  which  quarter  it  lasted  till  the  19th.  During  this 
period  the  young  ice  was  broken,  its  edges  squeezed  uv 


WINTKU   IN  TUB   ARCTIO   OCRAN. 


895 


rard, 
this 
uv 


like  Iiammocks,  and  otio  600  overniu  by  another  nntiJ 
it  all  assumed  the  a|)))caranco  of  heavy  ice.  Tiio  ves 
eels  received  some  heavy  nips  tVum  it,  but  they  with* 
8t(K)d  them  without  injury.  Wlienever  a  ik)o1  of  wutei 
made  its  appeiinince,  every  ellort  was  made  to  reach  it, 
in  hopes  tiiat  it  would  lead  us  into  Beechey  island,  or 
Homo  other  place  where  the  vessel  might  be  placed  in 
riccurity  ;  tor  the  winter  set  in  unusually  early,  and  Iho 
severity  with  which  it  commenced,  forbade  all  hopes 
of  our  being  able  to  return  this  season.  1  now  became 
anxious  to  attain  a  point  in  the  neighborhood,  from 
whence  by  means  of  land  parties,  in  the  spring,  a  goodly 
extent  of  Wellington  Channel  might  be  examined. 

"  In  the  mean  time,  under  the  nifluence  of  the  south 
wind,  we  were  being  set  up  the  channel.  On  the  18tli 
we  were  above  Cape  Bowden,  the  most  northern  point 
seen  on  this  shore  oy  Parry.  The  land  on  both  shoreB 
was  seen  nmch  further,  and  trended  considerably  to  tho 
west  of  north.  To  account  for  this  drill,  tho  hxed  ico 
of  Wellington  Channel,  which  we  had  observe'  'n  j>as8- 
ing  to  the  westward,  must  have  been  broken  up  and 
driven  to  the  southward  by  the  heavy  gale  of  the  12th. 
On  the  19th  the  wind  veered  to  the  north,  which  gave 
us  a  southerly  set,  forcitig  us  at  the  f^ame  time  with  tho 
western  shore.  This  did  nut  last  long;  for  the  next  day 
the  wind  hauled  again  to  the  south,  and  blew  fresh, 
bringmg  the  ice  in  upon  us  with  much  ]>ressure.  At 
midnight  it  broke  ii])  all  around  us,  so  that  we  h.id  work 
to  maintain  the  Advance  in  a  safe  ])osition,  and  keep 
Imm'  from  being  separated  froi  i  her  consort,  which  was 
nnm<)val)ly  Hxed  in  the  ccnte   of  a  large  floe. 

"Wo  continued  to  drift  slo>*iy  to  the  N.  N.W.,  until 
til  3  22d,  whe!i  our  jjrugrcss  a}  jeared  to  be  arrested  by 
a  small  low  island,  which  waa  liscovered  in  that  direc- 
tion, about  seven  miles  distan  A  channel  of  three  01 
four  miles  in  width  separated  ,  i  from  Cornwallis  Island 
Phis  latter  island,  trending  ).^.  W.  from  our  position, 
terminated  abruptly  in  an  Ck^vated  cape,  to  which  I 
have  given  the  name  of  l^Iai.wing,  atler  a  warm  iHjr 
•onal  friend  and  ardent  sup^^rter  of  the  expedition 


3U6 


PB(K}BESS  OF    AJlOnO  DISOOYB&r. 


|.k 


1  I 


Between  Oomwallis  Island  and  some  distant  high  Ian 
visible  in  the  north,  appeared  a  wide  channel  Tcadinfl 
to  the  westward.  A  aark,  misty-looking  cloud  which 
hung  over  it,  (technically  termed  frost-smoke,)  was  in- 
dicative of  mnch  open  water  in  that  direction.  This 
was  the  direction  in  which  my  instructions,  referring  to 
the  investigations  of  the  National  Observatory,  concern 
ing  the  winds  and  currents  of  the  ocean,  directed  me  to 
look  for  open  water.  Nor  was  the  open  water  the  only 
indication  that  presented  itself  in  confirmation  of  this 
theoretical  conjecture  as  to  a  milder  climate  in  that 
direction.  As  we  entered  Wellington  Channel,  the 
si^s  of  animal  life  became  more  abundant,  and  Cap- 
tam  Pennv,  commander  of  one  of  the  Enfflish  expe- 
ditions, who  afterward  penetrated  on  sledges  much 
toward  the  region  of  the  '  frost-smoke,'  much  ftirther 
than  it  was  possible  for  us  to  do  in  our  vessels  reported 
that  he  actually  arrived  on  the  borders  of  this  open  sea. 
"Thus,  these  admirably  drawn  instructions,  deriving 
arguments  from  the  enlarged  and  comprehensive  sys- 
tem of  physical  research,  not  only  pointed  with  em- 
phasis to  an  unknown  sea  into  which  Franklin  had 
probably  found  his  way,  but  directed  me  to  search  for 
traces  of  his  expedition  in  the  very  channel  at  the 
entrance  of  which  it  is  now  ascertained  he  had  passed 
his  first  winter.  The  direction  in  which  search  with 
most  chances  of  success  is  now  to  be  made  for  the 
missing  expedition,  or  for  traces  of  it,  is  no  doubt  in 
the  direction  which  is  so  clearly  pointed  out  in  my  in- 
structions. To  the  channel  which,  appeared  to  lead 
into  the  open  sea  over  which  the  cloud  of  *  frost-smoke  * 
huns^  as  a  sign,  I  have  given  the  name  of  Maury,  after 
the  distinguished  o^entleman  at  the  head  of  our  National 
Observatory,  w}i<>so  theory  with  regard  to  an  open  sea 
to  the  north  is  likely  to  be  realized  through  this  chan- 
nel. To  the  large  mass  of  land  visible  between  N.  W, 
to  N.  N.  E.,  I  gave  the  name  of  Grinnell,  in  honor  of 
the  bead  and  heart  of  th3  man  in  whose  philanthropia 
mind  originated  the  idea  of  this  exr^edition,  and  fo 
whose  munificence  it  owes  its  existenut. 


W1NTKR   IN   THE  ABOTIO  00£AV. 


391 


lyin- 

ilead 
loke' 
[after 

ional 
sea 

5han- 

r.w. 

)r  of 
fopio 
Id  *o 


**  To  a  remarkable  peak  bearing  N.  N.  £.  from  uSi 
distant  about  forty  miles,  was  given  the  name  of 
Mount  FraQklin.  An  inlet  or  harbor  immediately  to 
the  north  of  Cape  Bowden  was  discovered  by  Mr. 
Griffin  in  his  land  excursion  from  Point  Innes,  on  the 
27th  of  August,  and  has  received  the  name  of  Griiiin 
Inlet.  The  small  island  mentioned  before  was  called 
Murdaugh's  Island,  after  the  acting  master  of  the  Ad- 
vance. The  eastern  shore  of  Wellington  Channel  ap- 
peared to  run  parallel  with  the  western,  but  it  became 
auite  low,  and  being  covered  with  snow,  could  not  be 
istinguished  with  certainty,  so  that  its  continuity  with 
the  high  land  to  the  north  was  not  ascertained.  Some 
small  pools  of  open  water  appearing  near  us,  an  attempt 
was  made  about  fifty  yaras,  but  all  our  combined 
efforts  were  of  no  avail  in  extricating  the  Kescue  from 
her  icy  cradle.  A  change  of  wind  not  only  closed  the 
ice  up  again,  but  threatened  to  give  a  severe  nip.  "We 
unsliipped  her  rudder  and  placed  it  out  of  harm's  way. 

"  September  22d,  was  an  uncomfortable  day.  The 
wind  was  from  N.  E.  with  snow.  From  an  early  hour 
in  the  morning,  the  fioes  began  to  be  pressed  together 
with  so  much  force  that  their  edge  was  thrown  up  in 
immense  ridges  of  rugged  hummocks.  The  Advance 
was  heavily  nipped  between  two  floes,  and  the  ice  was 
piled  up  so  high  above  the  rail  on  the  starboard  side 
as  to  threaten  to  come  on  board  and  sink  us  with  its 
weight.  All  hands  were  occupied  in  keeping  it  out 
The  pressure  and  commotion  did  not  cease  till  near 
midnight,  when  we  were  very  glad  to  have  a  respite 
from  our  labors  and  fears.  The  next  day  we  were 
threatened  with  a  similar  scene,  but  it  fortunately 
ceased  in  a  short  time.  For  the  remainder  of  Septem- 
ber, and  until  the  4th  of  October,  the  vessels  drifted 
but  little.  The  winds  were  very  light,  the  thermometer 
fell  to  minus  12,  and  ice  formed  over  the  pools  in  sight, 
sufficiently  strong  to  travel  upon.  Wo  were  now 
strongly  impressed  with  the  belief  that  the  ice  had  be- 
come fixed  for  the  winter,  and  that  we  should  be  able 
to  send  out  traveling  parties  from  the  advanced  position 


808 


PROGRESS   OF   AKCnO   DI8C0TERT. 


III 


for  the  examination  of  the  lands  to  the  northward 
Stimulated  by  this  fair  prospect,  another  attempt  war 
made  to  reach  the  shore  in  order  to  establish  a  depo> 
of  provisions  at  or  near  Cape  Manning,  which  would 
materially  facilitate  the  progress  of  our  parties  in  th^ 
sprinff ;  but  the  ice  was  still  found  to  beaetached  fronc 
the  snore,  and  a  narrow  lane  of  water  cut  us  from  it. 

"  During  the  interval  of  comparative  quiet,  prelimi 
nary  measures  were  taken  for  heating  the  Advance 
and  increasing  her  quarters,  so  as  to  accomodate  the 
officers  and  crew  of  both  vessels.  No  stoves  had  a» 
yet  been  used  in  either  vessel ;  indeed  they  could  not 
well  be  put  up  without  placing  a  large  quantity  of  stores 
and  fuel  upon  the  ice.  Tiie  attempt  was  made  to  do 
this,  but  a  sudden  crack  in  the  floe  where  it  appeared 
strongest,  causing  the  loss  of  several  tons  of  coal,  con- 
vinced us  that  it  was  not  yet  safe  to  do  so.  It  was  not 
until  the  20th  of  October,  we  got  fires  below.  Ton 
days  later  the  housing  cloth  was  put  over,  and  the  offi- 
cers and  crew  of  the  Rescue  ordered  on  board  tlie  Ad- 
vance for  the  winter.  Room  was  found  on  the  deck  of 
the  Rescue  for  many  of  the  provisions  removed  from 
the  hold  of  this  vessel.  Still  a  largo  quantity  had  to 
be  placed  on  the  ice.  The  absence  of  tire  below  had 
caused  much  discomfort  to  all  hands  ever  since  the  be- 
ginning of  September,  not  so  much  from  the  low  tem- 
perature, as  from  the  accumulation  of  moisture  by 
condensation,  which  congealed  as  the  tempeiature  de- 
creased, and  covered  the  wood  work  of  our  apartments 
with  ice.  This  state  of  things  soon  began  to  work  its 
effect  upon  the  health  of  the  crews.  Several  cases  of 
scurvy  appeared  among  them,  and  notwithstanding  tlie 
indefatigable  attention  and  active  treatment  resorted  to 
by  the  medical  officers,  it  could  not  be  era  licated  — its 
progress,  however,  was  checked. 
"All  through  October  and  November,  we  were  drifted 
to  and  fro  by  the  changing  wind,  but  never  passing  out 
of  Wellington  Channel.  On  the  Ist  of  Noveinber,  the 
new  ice  had  attained  the  thicknoss  of  37  inches.  Still, 
ft-equent  breaks  would  occur  in  it,  often  in  fearftil  pros 


WTKTER    IW  THK   ARCTHO   OOEAH. 


899 


unity  to  the  vessels.  Hummocks  consisting  of  massive 
granite-like  blocks,  would  be  thrown  up  to  the  height 
of  twenty,  and  even  thirty  feet.  This  action  in  the  ice 
was  accompanied  with  a  variety  of  sounds  impossible 
to  be  descnbed,  but  when  heard  never  failed  to  carry  a 
f(3eling  of  awe  into  the  stoutest  hearts.  In  the  stillness 
of  an  arctic  night,  they  could  be  heard  several  miles, 
and  often  was  the  rest  of  all  hands  disturbed  by  them. 
To  guard  against  the  worst  that  could  happen  to  us  — 
the  destruction  of  tlie  vessels  —  the  boats  were  prepared 
and  sledges  built.  Thirty  days'  provisions  were  placed 
in  for  all  hands,  together  with  tents  and  blanket  bags 
for  sleeping  in.  Besides  this,  each  man  and  oflficer  had 
hts  knapsack  containing  an  extra  suit  of  clothes.  These 
were  all  kept  in  readiness  for  use  at  a  moment's  notica 
"  For  the  sake  of  wholesome  exercise,  as  well  as  to  in- 
ure the  people  to  ice  traveling,  frequent  excursions  were 
made  with  our  laden  sledges.  The  oflBcers  usually  took 
the  lead  at  the  drag  ropes,  and  they,  as  well  as  the  men 
underwent  the  labor  of  surmounting  the  rugged  hum- 
mocks, with  great  cheerfulness  and  zeal.  iTotwith- 
standing  the  low  temperature,  all  hands  usually  returned 
in  a  profuse  perspiration.  We  had  also  other  sources 
of  exercise  and  amusements,  such  as  foot-ball,  skating, 
sliding,  racing,  with  theatrical  representations  on  holi- 
days and  national  anniversaries.  These  amusements 
were  continued  throughout  the  winter,  and  contributed 
very  materially  to  the  cheerfulness  and  general  good 
nealth  of  all  hands.  The  drift  had  s«t  us  gradually  to 
the  S.  E.,  until  we  were  about  five  miles  to  the  S.  W. 
Df  Beechey  Island.  In  this  position  we  remained  com- 
paratively stationary  about  a  week.  We  once  more 
Dcgan  to  entertain  a  hope  that  we  had  become  fixed  for 
tlie  winter,  but  it  provea  a  vain  one,  for  on  the  last  day 
of  November  a  strong  wind  from  the  westward  set  in, 
with  thick  snowy  weather.  The  wind  created  an  im- 
mediate movement  in  the  ice.  Several  fractures  took 
place  near  us,  and  many  heavy  hummocks  were  thrown 
up.  The  floe  in  which  our  vessels  were  imbedded,  was 
being  rapidly  encroached  upon,  so  that  we  were  in  mo- 
Q  25 


too 


I'UOGRKSS   OF   ARCTIC   DISCOVEhT. 


m 


iff:  P- 


•te  11* 


i 


i  ■ 


montary  fear  of  the  ice  breaking  from  aronnd  fchem, 
and  that  they  would  be  once  more  broken  out  and  left 
to  the  tender  mercies  of  the  crashing  floes. 

**0n  the  following  day  (the  Ist  of  December^  the 
weather  cleared  oflf  ana  the  few  hours  of  twilight 
which  ive  had  about  noon,  enabled  us  to  ^et  a,  glimpse 
of  the  land.  As  well  as  we  could  make  it  out,  we  ap- 
peared to  be  off  Gascoiffne  Inlet.  We  were  now  clear 
of  Wellington  Channel,  and  in  the  fair  way  of  Lan- 
caster Sound,  to  be  set  either  up  or  down,  at  the  mercy 
of  the  prevailing  winds  and  currents.  We  were  not 
long  left;  in  doubt  as  to  the  direction  we  Lad  to  pursue. 
The  winds  prevailed  from  the  westward,  and  our  drift 
was  steady  and  rapid  toward  the  mouth  of  the  Sound. 
The  prospect  before  us  was  now  any  thing  but  cheering. 
We  were  deprived  of  our  last  fond  hope,  that  of  be- 
coming fixed  in  some  position  whence  operations  could 
be  carried  on  by  means  of  traveling  parties  in  the 
spring.  The  vessels  were  fast  being  set  out  of  the 
region  of  search.  Nor  was  this  our  only  source  of  un- 
easiness. The  line  of  our  drift  was  from  two  to  five 
miles  from  the  north  shore,  and  whenever  the  moving 
ice  met  with  any  of  the  capes  or  projecting  points  of 
land,  the  obstruction  would  cause  fractures  in  it,  ex- 
tending  off  to  and  far  beyond  us.  Cape  Hurd  was  the 
first  and  most  prominent  point — we  were  but  two 
miles  from  it  on  the  3d  of  December.  Nearly  all  day 
the  ice  was  both  seen  and  heard  to  be  in  constant  mo- 
tion at  no  great  distance  from  us.  In  the  evening  a 
crack  on  our  floe  took  place  not  more  than  twenty -five 
yards  ahead  of  the  Advance.  It  opened  in  the  course 
of  the  evening  to  the  width  of  190  yards. 

"  No  further  disturbance  took  place  until  noon  of  the 
5th,  when  we  were  somewhat  startled  by  the  familiar 
and  unmistakable  sound  of  the  ice  grinding  against 
the  side  of  the  ship.  Going  on  deck,  I  perceived  that 
another  crack  had  taken  place,  passing  along  the  length 
of  the  vessel.  It  did  not  open  more  than  a  foot ;  tliis, 
however,  was  suflicicnt  to  liberate  the  vessel,  and  she 
rose  eovoral  iucJics  bodily,  havinpr  become  more  buoy- 


WINTER   IN   TIJK   AKCTiO   OCEAN. 


401 


Aut  since  she  froze  m.  The  following  day,  in  the 
evening  the  crack  opened  several  yards,  leaving  the 
sides  oi  the  Ad\ance  entirely  free,  and  she  was  once 
more  supported  by  and  rode  in  her  own  element.  We 
wore  not,  though,  by  any  means,  in  a  pleasant  situation. 
Tiie  floes  were  considerably  broken  in  all  directions 
around  us,  and  one  crack  had  taken  place  between  the 
two  vessels.  The  Rescue  was  not  disturbed  in  her  bed 
of  ice. 

"December  7th,  at  8  A.  M.,  the  crack  in  which  we 
were,  had  opened  and  formed  a  lane  of  water  fifty-six 
feet  wide,  communicating  aliead  at  the  distance  of  sixty 
feet  with  ice  of  about  one  foot  in  thickness,  which  had 
formed  since  the  3d.  The  vessel  was  secured  to  the 
largest  floe  near  us  (that  on  which  our  spare  stores  were 
deposited.)  At  noon,  the  ice  was  again  in  motion, 
and  began  to  close,  affording  us  the  pleasant  prospect 
of  an  inevitable  nip  between  two  floes  of  the  heaviest 
kind.  In  a  short  time  the  prominent  points  took  our 
side,  on  the  starboard,  just  about  the  mam-rigging,  and 
on  the  port  under  the  counter,  and  at  the  fore-rigging ; 
thus  brmging  three  points  of  pressure  in  such  a  position 
that  it  must^have  proved  fatal  to  a  larger  or  less 
strengthened  vessel.  The  Advance,  liowever,  stood  it 
bravely.  After  trembling  and  groaning  in  every  joint, 
the  ice  passed  under  and  raised  her  about  two  and 
a  half  feet.  She  was  let  down  again  for  a  moment, 
and  then  her  stern  was  raised  about  five  feet.  Her 
bows  being  unsupported,  were  depressed  almost  as 
much.  In  this  uncomfortable  position  we  remained. 
The  wind  blew  a  gale  from  the  eastward,  and  the  ice 
all  around  was  in  dreadful  commotion,  excepting,  for- 
tunately, that  in  immediate  contact  with  us.  The  com- 
motion in  the  ico  continued  all  through  the  night;  and 
we  were  in  momentary  expectation  of  the  destruction 
of  both  vessels.  Tlie  easterly  gale  had  set  ns  some 
two  or  three  miles  to  the  west.  As  soon  as  it  was  light 
enough  to  see  on  the  9th,  it  was  discovered  that  the 
heavy  ice  on  which  the  Rescue  had  been  imbedded 
'*')r  so  long  a  time,  was  entirely  broken  up,  and  piled 


409 


FB00BES8  OV  lHariC   DlflCOrKKf. 


R  r 


*;=!!-• 


Jt't;^': 


t 


m-' 


up  around  her  in  massive  hnmmockg.  On  her  pumpi 
being  sounded,  I  was  gratified  to  learn  that  she  remained 
tight,  notwithstanding  the  immense  straining  and 
pressure  she  must  have  endured. 

**  During  this  period  of  trial,  as  well  as  in  all  former 
and  subsequent  ones,  I  could  not  avoid  being  struck 
with  the  calmness  and  decision  of  the  officers,  as  well 
as  the  subordination  and  ^ood  conduct  of  the  men, 
without  an  exception,  Eacti  one  knew  the  imminence 
of  the  peril  that  surrounded  us,  and  was  prei)ared  to 
abide  it  with  a  stout  heart.  There  was  no  noise,  no 
confusion.  I  did  not  detect,  even  in  the  moment  when 
the  destruction  of  the  vessel  seemed  inevitable,  a  sin- 
gle desponding  look  among  the  whole  crew;  on  the 
contrary,  each  one  seemed  resolved  to  do  his  whole 
duty,  and  every  thing  went  on  cheerily  and  bravely. 
For  my  own  part,  I  had  become  quite  an  invalid,  so 
much  so  as  to  prevent  my  taking  an  active  part  in  the 
duties  of  the  vessel  as  I  had  always  done,  or  even  from 
incurring  the  exposure  necessary  to  proper  exercise. 
However,  I  felt  no  apprehensions  that  the  vessel  would 
not  be  properly  taken  care  of,  for  I  had  perfect  confi- 
dence in  one  and  all  by  whom  I  was  surrounded.  I 
knew  them  to  be  equal  to  any  emergency,  but  I  felt 
under  special  obligations  to  the  gallant  commander 
of  the  Rescue,  for  the  efficient  aid  he  rendered  me. 
With  the  kindest  consideration,  and  the  most  cheerful 
alacrity,  he  volunteered  to  perform  the  executive  duties 
during  the  winter,  and  relieve  me  from  every  thing 
that  might  tend  in  the  least  to  retard  my  recovery. 

"  During  the  remainder  of  December,  the  ice  re- 
mained quiet  immediately  around  us,  and  breaks  were 
all  strongly  cemented  by  new  ice.  In  our  neighbor- 
hood, however,  cracks  were  daily  visible.  Our  drift 
to  the  eastward  averaged  nearly  six  miles  per  day;  so' 
that  on  the  last  of  the  month  we  were  at  the  entrance 
of  the  Sound,  Cape  Osborn  bearing  north  from  us. 
.  "January,  1851. —  On  passing  out  of  the  Sound,  and 
opening  Baffin's  Bay,  to  the  north  was  seen  a  dark  hori- 
zon, indicating  much  oyen  water  in  that  direction.     Ob 


Ing 


id 
Iri- 
1)b 


WlMTEJi   IN    TliK   AKtrnO   OCEAN. 


408 


Ml  iltb,  a  crack  took  place  between  us  and  the  Keacue, 
passing  close  under  our  stern,  and  forming  a  lane  of 
water  eighty  feet  wide.  In  the  afternoon  tlie  tloes  be* 
fan  to  move,  the  lane  was  closed  up,  and  the  edgea  of 
the  ice  coming  in  contact  with  so  much  pressure,  tiireat- 
ened  the  demolition  of  the  narrow  space  wiiich  sopa 
rated  us  from  the  line  of  fracture.  Fortuiuituly,  tba 
tloes  aga.n  separated,  and  assumed  a  motion  by  which 
the  Rescue  passed  from  our  stern  to  the  port  bow,  and 
increased  her  distance  from  us  709  yards,  where  slie 
came  to  a  stand.  Our  stores  that  were  on  the  ice  were 
on  the  same  side  of  the  cracks  as  the  Rescue,  and  of 
course  were  carried  with  her.  The  following  day  the 
ice  remained  quiet,  but  soon  after  midnight,  on  the 
13th,  a  gale  having  sprung  up  from  the  westward,  it 
once  more  got  into  violent  motion.  The  young  ice  in 
the  crack  near  our  stern  was  soon  broken  up,  the  edges 
of  the  thick  ice  came  in  contact,  and  fearful  pressures 
took  place,  forcing  up  a  line  of  hummocks  which  ap- 
proached within  ten  feet  of  our  stern.  The  vessel 
trembled  and  complained  a  great  deal. 

"  At  last  the  floe  broke  up  around  U8  into  many 
pieces,  and  became  detached  from  the  sides  of  the 
vessel.  The  scene  of  frightful  commotion  lasted  until 
4  A.  M.  Every  moment  I  expected  the  vessel  would 
be  crushed  or  overwhelmed  by  the  massive  ice  forced 
up  far  above  our  bulwarks,  l^he  Rescue  being  further 
I'emoved  on  the  other  side  of  the  crack  from  the  line 
of  crushing,  and  being  firmly  imbedded  in  heavy  ice, 
1  was  in  hopes  would  remain  undisturbed.  This  was 
not  the  case;  for,  on  sending  to  her  as  soon  as  it  was 
light  enough  to  see,  the  iloe  was  found  to  be  broken 
away  entirely  up  to  her  bows,  and  there  formed  into 
such  high  hummocks  that  her  bowsj)rit  was  broken  ott', 
together  with  her  head,  and  all  the  light  wood  work 
about  it.  Had  the  action  of  the  ice  continued  much 
'  longer,  she  must  have  been  destroyed.  We  had  the 
misfortune  to  find  sad  havoc  had  been  made  among 
the  stores  and  provisions  left  on  the  ice ;  and  few  bar- 
rels were  recovered;  but  a  lar^e  portion  were  crushed 
and  had  disappeared. 


r 


W  -M 


404 


PJKO'^IiESS   OF   AltCl'IU    DISCOVEKT. 


\ 


I    r 


'I     i 


i 


if     >t   * 


'    -J 


"  On  the  morning  of  the  14th  there  was  again  somo 
motion  in  the  floea.  That  on  the  port  Fide  moved  otl' 
from  the  vessel  two  or  three  feet  and  there  became 
stationary.  This  left  the  vessel  entirely  detached 
from  the  ice  round  the  water  line,  and  it  was  expected 
she  would  once  more  resume  an  upright  position.  In 
this,  however,  we  were  disappointed,  for  she  remained 
with  her  stern  elevated,  and  a  considerable  lift  to- star- 
board, being  held  in  this  uncomfortable  position  by  the 
heavy  masses  which  had  been  force  1  under  her  bottom 
She  retained  this  position  until  she  finally  broke  out 
in  the  spring.  We  were  now  fhlly  launched  into  Baf- 
fin's Bay,  and  our  line  of  drift  began  to  be  more  south- 
erly, assuming  a  direction  nearly  parallel  with  the 
western  shore  of  the  Bay  at  a  distance  of  from  40  tc 
70  miles  from  it. 

"  After  an  absence  of  87  days,  the  sun,  on  the  29th 
of  January,  rose  his  whole  diameter  above  the  south- 
ern horizon,  and  remained  visible  more  than  an  hour. 
All  hands  gave  vent  to  delight  on  seeing  an  old  friend 
again,  in  three  hearty  cheers.  The  length  of  the  days 
aow  went  on  increasing  rapidly,  but  no  warmth  was 
yet  experienced  from  the  sun's  rays ;  on  the  contrary 
the  cold  became  more  intense.  Mercury  became  con- 
gealed in  February,  also  in  March,  which  did  not  occur 
at  any  other  period  during  the  winter.  A  very  low 
temperature  was  invariably  accompanied  with  clear 
and  calm  weather,  so  that  our  coldest  days  were  per- 
haps the  most  pleasant.  In  the  absence  of  wind,  we 
could  take  exercise  in  the  open  air  without  any  incon- 
venience from  the  cold.  But  with  a  strong  wind  blow 
ing,  it  was  dangerous  to  be  exposed  to  its  chilling  blasts 
for  any  length  of  time,  even  when  the  thermometer 
indicated  a  comparatively  moderate  degree  of  tem- 
perature. 

"  The  ice  around  the  vessels  soon  became  cemented 
again  and  fixed,  and  no  other  rupture  was  experienced 
until  it  finally  broke  up  in  the  spring,  and  allowed  us 
to  escape.  Still  we  kept  driving  to  the  southward 
along  with  the  "  hole  mass.     Open  lanes  of  water  were 


WINTEB   LN   TUE   AiCCTIC   OCEAN. 


gain  somo 
tnovcd  oil 
ro  because 
detached 
fl  expected 
)8itioTi.    In 
e  remained 
lift  tO'Star- 
ition  by  the 
her  bottom 
,y  broke  out 
ed  into  Baf- 
more  south- 
el  with  the 
f  from  40  to 

,  on  the  29th 
ve  the  south- 
Lhan  an  hour, 
au  old  friend 
.  of  the  days 
warmth  was 
tlie  contrary 
became  con- 
did  not  occur 
A  very  low 
,d  with  clear 
tys  were  per- 
of  wind,  we 
it  any  incon- 
,g  wind  blow 
shilling  blasts 
thermometer 
;ree  of  tera- 

,me  cemented 

experienced 

allowed  us 

le  southward 

)f  water  were 


risible  t  all  times  from  aloft ;  sometimes  they  would 
be  fo;  led  within  a  mile  or  two  of  us.  Narv^hals, 
seals  And  dovekys  were  seen  in  them.  Our  sports- 
mer  ^ere  not  expert  enough  to  procure  any,  except  a 
fe»  of  the  latter ;  although  they  were  indefatigable  in 
t'  eir  exertions  to  do  so.  Bears  would  frequently  be 
een  prowling  about;  only  two  were  killed  during  the 
winter ;  others  were  wounded,  but  made  their  escape. 
A  few  of  us  thought  their  flesh  very  palatable  and 
wholesome ;  but  the  majority  utterly  rejected  it.  The 
flesh  of  the  seal,  when  it  could  be  obtained,  was  re- 
ceived with  more  favor. 

"As  the  season  advanced,  the  cases  of  scurvy  became 
more  numerous,  yet  they  were  all  kept  under  control 
by  the  unwearied  attention  and  skillful  treatment  of 
the  medical  oflScers.  My  thanks  are  due  to  thenn,  es- 
pecially to  Passed  Assistant  Surgeon  Kane,  the  senior 
medical  officer  of  the  expedition.  I  often  had  occa- 
sion to  consult  him  concerning  the  hygiene  of  the 
crew,  and  it  is  in  a  great  measure  owing  to  the  advice 
which  he  gave  and  the  expedients  which  he  recom- 
mended, that  the  expedition  was  enabled  to  return 
without  the  loss  of  one  man.  By  the  latter  end  of 
February  the  ice  had  become  sufficiently  thick  to  en- 
able us  to  build  a  trench  around  the  stern  of  the  Res- 
cue, sufficiently  deep  to  ascertain  the  extent  of  the 
injury  she  had  received  in  the  gale  at  Griffith's  Isl- 
and. It  was  not  found  to  be  material ;  the  upper  gud- 
geon alone  had  been  wrenched  from  the  stern  post.  It 
was  adjusted,  and  the  rudder  rei)aired  in  readiness  for 
shipping,  when  it  should  be  required.  A  new  bow- 
sprit was  also  made  for  her  out  of  the  few  spare  spars 
we  had  left,  and  every  thing  made  seaworthy  in  both 
vessels  before  the  breaking  up  of  the  ice. 

'•  In  May,  the  noon-day  began  to  take  effect  upon  the 
•now  which  covered  the  ice ;  the  surface  of  the  floes 
became  watery,  and  difficult  to  walk  over.  Still  the 
dissolution  was  so  slow  in  comparison  with  the  mass 
to  be  dissolved,  that  it  must  have  taken  it  a  lon^  pe- 
riod to  become  liberated  from  this  cause  alone.    moT% 


I  Itfi'l 


40G 


PROG  HESS   OF   AUCTIO   DISCOVKRT. 


Mi.    >!  : 


1) '  I 


was  expected  from  our  •'southerly  drift,  which  still  con- 
tinued, and  must  soon  carry  us  into  a  milder  climate 
and  open  sea.  On  the  19tli  of  May,  the  land  about 
Cape  Searle  was  made  out,  the  first  that  we  had  seen 
since  passing  Cape  Walter  Bathurst,  about  tlie  20th  of 
January.  A  few  days  later  we  were  off  Cape  Walsing- 
ham,  and  on  the  27th,  ])assed  out  of  the  Arctic  Zono. 

"  On  the  Ist  of  A])ril,  a  hole  was  cut  in  some  ice  that 
had  been  formin<jj  since  our  first  besotment  in  Septem- 
ber; it  was  found  to  have  attained  the  thickness  of  7 
feet  2  inches.  In  this  month,  (April,)  the  amelioration 
of  the  temperature  became  quite  sensible.  All  hands 
were  kept  at  work,  cutting  and  sawing  the  ice  around 
the  vessels,  in  order  to  allow  them  to  float  once  more 
With  the  Kescue,  they  succeeded,  after  much  labor,  in 
attaining  this  object ;  but  around  tlie  stern  of  the  Ad- 
vance, the  ice  was  so  thick  that  our  13  feet  saw  was  too 
short  to  pass  through  it ;  her  bows  and  sides,  as  far  aft 
as  the  gangway,  were  liberated.  After  making  some 
alteration  in  the  Rescue  for  the  better  accommodation 
of  her  crew,  and  fires  being  lighted  on  board  of  her 
several  days  previous,  to  remove  the  ice  and  dampness, 
which  had  accumulated  during  the  winter,  both  oflicers 
and  crew  were  transferred  to  hcM*  on  the  24th  of  April. 
The  stores  of  this  vessel,  wliich  had  been  taken  out, 
were  restored,  the  housing  cloth  taken  off,  and  the  ves- 
sel made  in  every  respect  ready  for  sea.  There  was 
little  prospect,  however,  of  our  being  al)le  to  reach  the 
desired  element  very  soon.  The  nearest  water  was  a 
narrow  lane  more  than  two  miles  distant.  To  cut 
through  the  ice  which  intervened,  would  have  been  next 
^0  impossible.  Beyond  this  lane,  from  the  mast-head, 
nothing  but  intermediate  floes  could  be  seen.  It  was 
thought  best  to  wait  with  patience,  and  allow  nature  to 
work  for  ns. 

"  June  6th,  a  moderate  breeze  from  S.  E.  with  pleasant 
weather  —  thermometer  up  to  40  at  noon,  and  altogether 
quite  warm  and  melting  day.  During  the  morning  a 
peculiar  cracking  sound  was  heard  on  the  floe.  I  was 
inclined  to  impute  it  to  the  settling  of  the  snowdrifts  as 


WINTBB  itji  TUP'   iD^, 

THE  AECTIO  OOEAir.  ^^ 

«ae  rent  in  all  dirccti  ,„i  i      •  *°'"  ^'^  "la'iy  montlm 

•'«'  any  noiec.     Ti,«  r'      ""^  '""^  ""'  accompanied 
tl.e  Advance  only  part^afl '""-?,  '•'  ':""''^'3'  )il>emted 
I'ait  was  i,nl)cd/o,5  Iml'n      '?  """ '"  «''"cl.  Iior aC 

position.    Tlie  ni?l.  V„    •;      «'«™ted  in  its  nnK;Xi„ 
'i"'-^o  loose,  am/Z^tc:  ,";^.r^''«  «''"^^,)  b  S 
««  an  ,n,n,c-nse  divnir   ,,^''     «'■' "ae,ou8  friend  acting 
^">'.e  headway  in  any  (£,'',',,:''«'"'«''*   1-avo  majf 
>vcTe  no,v  tnrnod  to g^ett ,  g "/'^^^  '" V^,"  o"r  effbrta 
and  crowbars,  tlio  pcoiJe  u-Vlf  V      ^'"j  eaws,  axes 
S"<«1  ^i".  and  afte/3  hL'"'/°  n-'t  witb  a' right' 
1  ie  vessel  was  again  afllf  1    i "?  **  ''°"«  enccecded 
0    all  hands  vented  Lelf-snonH  "^^  l^^^""^-    "^^^ioy 
«l'eers.    Tbe  after  partofTf?fT'^, '" '''^e  hearty 
>»g  carried  away  bj  t be te   'rf '',^'''  ^"^  g«"e,  hi 
^  ^as  glad  to  jirciive  d?d  nl^  'T  -"f  ■'''  '^"^^■eve?. 
saihng  or  working  qnlli'ties  of  fl    '"aterially  affect  tbe 
;_«;«'■««  .ipped,  anf  14  were  once'r'''' '     ?«  "■die™ 
ancftcent  as  on  the  day  we  Ift  N^rv'T^^  '°  "'°^«. 

"feteermg  to  the  S  V  iZi        ,  ."^  ^o*- 
,ooee  but  ireavy  pacic  •C,lr«*'"?  slowly  through  the 
Rescue  in  a  dense  foL'  «L     i?"'  "■"  Prtcd  from  tl! 
"'«  one  the  AdvI^I^^i^.'^^^^^^^^ ^rent  Iead'"fro« 


1^. 


408 


"4 


if 


If  i' 
I,    I. 


'   y 


II 

*■  r 


li'li 


H' 


ilH 


f> 


r  'J  r 


PEOORE88  OF  ABOT*  J  DIBOOVEBT. 


Ground  fob  TTope. 


'  Mr.  Wm.  Penny,  of  Aberdeen,  states  in  a  letter  to 
the  Times,  that  Capt.  Martin,  who,  when  commanding 
the  whaler  Enterprise,  in  1845,  was  the  last  person  to 
communicate  with  t*?ir.  J.  Franklin,  has  just  informed 
him  that  the  Enterprise  was  alongside  the  Erebus,  in 
Melville  Bay,  and  Sir  John  Franklin  invited  him, 
(Capt.  Martin,)  to  dine  with  him,  which  the  latter  do 
clined  doing,  as  the  wind  was  fair  to  go  south.  Sii 
John,  while  co.^rersing  with  Capt.  Martin,  told  him 
that  he  had  five  years'  provisions,  which  he  could 
make  last  seven,  and  his  peoi)le  were  busily  engaged 
in  salting  down  birds,  of  which  they  had  several  casks 
full  already,  and  twelve  men  were  out  shooting  more. 
"To  see  such  determination  and  foresight,"  observes 
Mr.  Penny,  "at  that  early  period,  is  really  wonderful, 
and  must  give  us  the  greatest  hopes."  Mr.  Penny 
says  that  Capt.  Martin  is  a  man  of  fortune,  and  of  the 
strictest  integrity. 

The  following  is  the  deposition  of  Capt.  Martin,  just 
received  in  the  London  Times,  of  Jan.  1,  1852,  con- 
taining the  facts  above  alluded  to : 

Robert  Martin,  now  master  and  commander  of  the 
whaleship  Intrepid,  of  Peterhead,  solemnly  and  sin- 
cerely declares  that  on  the  22d  day  of  July,  1845,  when 
in  command  of  the  whale  ship  Enterprise,  of  Peter- 
head, in  lat.  75**  10',  long.  66°  W.,  calm  weather,  and 
towing,  the  Erebus  and  Terror  were  in  company.  These 
ships  were  alongside  the  Enterprise  for  about  fifteen 
minutes.  The  declarant  conversed  with  Sir  John 
Franklin,  and  Mr.  Reid,  his  ice-master.  The  conver- 
sation lasted  all  the  time  the  ships  were  close.  That 
Sir  John,  in  answer  to  a  question  by  the  declarant  if 
ho  had  a  good  supply  of  provisions,  and  how  long  he 
exjiected  them  to  last,  stated  that  he  had  provisions 
for  five  years,  and  if  it  were  necessary  he  could  "ma>e 
them  Bpin  out  seven  years;"  and  he  said  further,  that 
he  would  lose  no  opportunity  of  killing  birds,  and 
whatever  else  was  useful  that  carae  in  the  way,  to  keep 


^nOVHD  FOR  HOPS. 


con- 


"P  their  stoclr  nn^  *i  ^^^ 

at  a  shot  wit),  w|,;t!  ""clarant  has  hiin,»iri!n, '","  «'  a 
agreeable  foo/«  -P^"**-  That  thlK' /'"*"'  ''"''J' 
>oung  pLon,''"'^  "'  taste  and  silf  •"'*  «'«  very 

Pa-ties  of'sTjotCffi '^  "'  ^-d  mom  T,    7'^-'' 
iPg,  dined  w-th  fh^  ?r    ■  "®™>  ^ho  had  hi    ''•''•>''  '«'<> 
There  was  Tboar^-l'"""''""  ""  board  rhl^'""  ^'""'t 
^ersation  w^  to  thi^  "^  ^'°'"  each  shin  '  ^.!|,'«.'-P'-''«e. 

naps  six  yeaVs      -R       "e  absent  four  nr  «      '     They 

and  in  sprinD-  ^    ?  "'"^  """Id  find  a  „„      "'  "'^  ships 
year  aft^ri"! r'^"f  °"  ««  far  as  possiM?""*"/ P'4 

*"tK»  ^^--•"-«rpti;  0- 

?""  '.yV'gatanicebet  '"'S  ''"^^  lon^eJ-  tV"^  "'« 

f«-  Xoti  "x;"^l,'  f '^  -  favSr^rr"^  ^-« 

been  secnred^    '•^'" »  ^  ery  lar^e  m-n^i      ''^  "-eather 

'kbt  of ziwoifp^  'V'"'«  "'e  d  /:;r"'  '-^^ 

Wis  also  wi^^Z    •  f^  '    The  Prinen  !^f  w  ,  '  ^as    n 

-"as  affordedlt  /  *'"'.''^'>  *!ps,The  bes  "  '''"='"«nt 
JeBcibed  are  n^t  ^L"?^  '5«  ^rds'  Tha?T:'?!"'^ 
•nf.  ?ro„„d  d„ri„i°tt  wl."1 "  ""  "laces  on' tL'^it 
'•tt  -  ra,t  nn^fei":,-''.'"'^  season.  buT  at  t't 

■eason  on  ee.tain  feeding 


m  ■ 


110 


PEOGKKSS   OF  AllCTIO   DISCOVERT. 


(If 


banks  ana  places  Ibr  In'oodiiig,  and  it  appeared  at  the 
.time  by  the  declarant  to  bt  a  most  fortunate  circum- 
stance that  the  Erebus  and  Terror  had  fallen  in  with 
80  many  birds,  and  that  the  state  of  the  weather  was 
so  favorable  for  securing  large  numbers  of  them.  The 
declarant  has  himself  had  a  supply  of  the  same  de 
sc'iption  of  birds,  which  kept  fresh  and  good  during 
three  months,  at  Davis'  Strait,  and  the  last  were  as 
good  as  the  first  of  them. 

Which  declaration,  above  written,  is  now  made 
conscientiously,  believing  the  same  to  be  true. 

.    EOBEBT   MaBTIK. 

Declared,  December,  29th,  1851,  before 

R.  Grath,  Provost  of  Peterhead. 


If*' I 

»"  -1 1'        I' 


!.' 


I  if 


;■:!; 


Ir- 


111-. 


▼OTAOii:  OF  rilL  SlEAMliK  ISABEL. 


411 


k  Summer's  Search  for  Sir  Joun  Franklin,  wn'ii  a 
Pass  into  the  Polar  Basin,  by  Commander  E.  A. 
Inolefield,  in  the  Screw  Sfkamer  Isabel,  in  1852 

The  profound  interest  which  the  heroism  and  mys 
kerious  fate  of  Sir  John  Franklin,  have  excited  in  the 
public  mind,  occasioned  other  expeditions  to  start  in 
pursuit  of  liim.^  botli  from  England  and  the  United 
otates,  the  details  of  whose  adventures  are  in  the 
highest  degree  entertaining.  On  the  12th  of  July, 
1852,  Commander  In^leiield  took  his  departure  in 
the  English  steamer  Isabel,  from  Fan*  Island;  and 
sailed  forth  toward  the  frozen  realms  of  the  north,  to 
which  so  many  other  bold  adventurers  had  already 
been  attracted.  His  crew  consisted  of  seventeen  per- 
sons, including  two  ice-masters,  a  mate,  surgeon,  en- 
gineer, stoker,  two  carpenters,  cook,  and  eight  able 
seamen,  who  had  been  whalers.  The  two  ice-masters, 
Messrs.  Abernethy  and  Manson,  were  already  well 
known  in  "  Arctic  Cirles,"  as  having  been  connected 
with  former  expeditions,  and  as  having  great  experi- 
ence in  the  perils  incident  to  adventurous  travel  in 
that  perilous  zone.  The  vessel  was  provided  with 
fuel  and  provisions  for  several  years. 

On  the  30th  of  July  the  expedition  gained  their 
first  distant  glimpse  of  the  snowy  mountains  of  Green- 
laud.  On  the  same  day  the  iirst  icebergs  sailed  ma- 
jestically past  them.  Ere  midnight  the  Isabel  was 
completely  surrounded  by  those  massive  monuments 
of  the  northern  seas.  Already  the  utmost  caution 
was  necessary  to  prevent  a  fatal  collision  between 
them  and  the  little  steamer  which  slowly  and  adroitly 
elbowed  her  way  through  their  rolling  masses.  In 
epite  o^*  the  utmost  prudence,  the  Isabel  occasionally 
struck  instantly  she  trembled  from  stem  to  stern, 
recoiled  for  a  moment,  but  then  again  recovered  and 
advanced  upon  her  way.  The  advantages  of  a  screw- 
steamer  for  the  purposes  of  navigating  polar  scab 
tillod  with  lioatiig  ice,  were  already  apparent  at  this 


U2 


ruuGuivss  OF  Aucno  discovekt. 


,!M 


HI 

'1: 


. 


F. 


-< 


ti. 


early  stage  of  the  expcditidh.  The'propellinff  power 
being  placed  at  the  stern  of  the  vessel,  ana  not  at 
the  sides,  enabled  her  to  worm  her  way  unresisted 
through  very  many  narrow  defiles,  which  a  steam- 
ship of  ordinary  structure,  or  even  a  sailing  vessel 
could  not  have  done. 

On  the  7th  of  August  the  expedition  reached  tlie 
neighborhood  of  Fisi^ernoes,  a  Danish  settlement; 
and  they  were  there  visited  by  some  Esquimaux  in 
their  canoes.  Guided  by  these  pilots  they  entered 
the  harbor  on  which  their  village  is  built.  They  vis- 
ited the  Danish  governor,  M.  Lazzen,  and  were  kindly 
entertained  by  him.  A  few  goats  supplied  his  family 
with  milk,  and  a  very  small  garden  protected  from 
the  storms  of  that  climate  by  artiiicicial  means,  af- 
forded them  a  few  vegetables  during  the  summer 
months.  M.  Lazzen  furnished  the  vessel  with  some 
salmon,  codfish,  and  milk.  The  residence  of  the  gov- 
ernor in  this  inhospitable  region,  consisted  of  a  small 
house  two  stories  high,  built  in  an  antique  but  sub- 
fltautial  manner.  A  Danish  clergyman  visits  this  ob- 
scure and  remote  spot  once  every  two  weeks,  and 
preaches  to  the  governor  and  to  the  colony  of  rude 
Esquimaux  over  whom  he  rules. 

Ou  the  10th  of  August  the  Isabel  resumed  her 
journey.  She  then  sailed  for  the  harbor  of  Lievely, 
in  which  the  expedition  obtained  a  few  supplies  of 
sugar,  soap,  and  plank,  which  they  needed  ;  but  they 
tailed  to  obtain  here  either  dogs  or  interpreters.  On 
the  16th,  they  found  themselves  oif  Upernavick,  a 
settlement  in  which  they  obtained  these  necessaries. 
This  Greenland  village  consists  of  two  or  three 
wooden  houseb  for  the  Danish  settlers,  and  a  few  mud 
huts  for  the  Esquimaux.  In  sailing  out  from  this 
harbor  the  steam-engine  suddenly  stopped,  and  nei- 
ther the  commander  uor  the  engineer  was  able  to 
discover  the  dithculty.  They  were  completely  puz- 
zled, until  at  length  ^t  was  ascertained  that  the  screw 
at  the  stern  had  cvm^'-ht  iu  a  loose  cable  which  fiouted 


In  106  ITfttor   mrlii  Ti    u    j 

"crew  80  tightly,  and  in  eneh'no'""""'  ««"■»<>  the 
After  the  adjustmenf  nf  ,1"    °.'°P  ""«  engine. 

aaytlje  Teasel  lost  hfr  mo"    i      o*^  tlinnder.     On  iSi! 
«  deck,  8truoS~"rd''''ni  which  in  falHag'^o^' 
"• .  In  a  short  time  thTii-    ?°™Pas3  and  damaged 
paired,  and  the  I  abol  h:w"J"r'  ,'"  '""^  ^^^ 
Having  arrived  MWoht^l  V'  ''^Perborean  waT 
gators  e«,„i„ed  the  site  of  tt'?''  ''°''"'*'  ^^e  St^l 
tors  of  the  "North  Star  "ai!^" Z"';™?'' ''«'«'•  q„ar. 
pleasure  of  inspecting  the  Wl"^  "'«  melan^o^ 
remains  of  several  ot^hlr  i      ^  ^^"""^  w^ere  thi 
Captain  Inglefleld  and  hL    ffi"'  ^^'^  'aid  to  reoMe 
aao™  withficttTaad'  L^v^r^r*^  men  w^R 
ile^f  Ornenak;  and  one  Idam  B^er'""' "  """ed 
one  ot  file  former  Arctic  PvfiU-.'   *'''  *  «eamen  in 
that  here  Sir  John  iVanUin  L^nl!""""'  ^'^  averted 
Mvage  and  starving  naf/t       '',  ''®*''  assailed  bv  tha 
«'?^  had  been  mwlered  f  V  f^\  ^«'«  he  an^  ^ 
2n  ."""J^  ^""l  been  bu^f,:,  ""^^  '''at  here  i„  L™ 
probable  one  :  hnt  Oar.f  •     t    "f"®  ^^orv  was  an  iS 

ermine  the  'sptf  t&h/vtl''!'*  determi^d  *£ 
^0  report.    Several  ll^i''^'-^'"*  'est  the  truth  of 

found,'^eomp<i^d  of  heavir  r^r  ^""^  '"deed  he?^ 
|«nediatel5;pulleddownind?^5'^°'''-'«-    ^i^er  were 
But  nothing  U  di^S  save  a  T'^^^'^^P^eted! 
lish  bones  and  the  bones  Af!!i    ^*'««  quantity  of 
seem  to  have  been  deported  ?h  '"  ,?""'^'«'  w^ch 
nse.    In  the  vilWe  S  !..  ^'^  i°'  «»»e  fiituw 
derground  hoveHTccu3  ZH"^^  of  «  few  ^ 
."MUX,  wero found, "nS^"^  ^*  starved  Esam- 
uit«uW  to  .nppl/ai'SSl»^«ealand  walru8fl2^ 
rr  /  «•  wants  oi  natmw  during  ^ 


I 


414 


rBooius  Of  ABono  Dnoomnr. 


1^ 


u  1 


nine  long  months  of  winter,  which  these  wretehed 
boingfi  are  compelled  each  year  to  endure. 

Oaptain  In^leficld  determined   to  continue  the 
thorough  exammation  of  the  shores  of  Wolstenholme 
Sound.    He  did  so,  and  discovered  several  islands 
which  were  not  to  be  found  on  any  chart.    These 
islands  he  respectively  termed  the  Three  Sister  Bees, 
Manson  Isle,  and  Abernethy  Isle.     During  this  por- 
tion of  the  cruise,  the  voyageurs  liad  not  encoun- 
tered as  yet  much  of  the  severe  extremes  of  northern 
cold.    It  was  still  mid-summer,  and  the  trim  steamer 
was  able  in  the  absence  of  compact  ice,  to  sail  rap- 
idly through  known  and  unknown  eeai,  in  opposition 
both  to  tide   and  wind.    On  the  25th,  the  Isabel 
reached  the  Gary  Islands ;  and  from  this  point  be^an 
the  voyage  of  Captain  lugleiield  into  untraveled 
waters,  and  into  regions  which  had  not  been  explored, 
at  least  in  a  northward  direction,  by  any  of  his  pre- 
decessors.    At  this  point,  in  the  summer  months,  a 
few  wretched  Esquimaux  manage  to  support  exist- 
ence;   and  Captain  Inglelield  carefully   examined 
their  huts  to  ascertain  whether  any  memento  of  the 
expedition  of  Sir  John  Franklin  might  exist  among ' 
them.    No  article   of   European   manufacture   was 
found,  exc<)pt  a  knife-blade  stamped  13.  "Wilson,  set  in 
an  ivory  haudle,  a  broken  tin  canister,  and  several 
small  pieces  of  steel,  curiously  Hxed  in  a  piece  of  bone. 
A  piece  of  rope  was  also  obtained,  having  an  eye  in 
it ;  but  this  was  supposed  to  have  drifted  ashore  from 
some  whaling  vessel.    No  trace  of  the  lost  naviga* 
tors  had  as  yet  been  seen  since  the  commencement 
of  this  expedition. 

Captain  Inglefield  resumed  his  voyage,  and  as  he 
rapidly  invaded  those  new  seas,  throng  the  tireless ' 
power  of  steam,  he  discovered  man^  new  idands,  at 
that  period  of  the  vear  free  from  their  monstrous  bur- 
dens of  ice,  to  which  he  save  appropriate  names. 
One  he  ciJled  Northumberland  Island,  another  Her- 
bert Mandi  and  a  third,  Milne  Island.   At  this  point 


to  enter  on  it. "xptX'^'^tft  ""f-  *»^-'<^TS 
of  discorery.   Bnt  as  Sir  Joh^'lf  ?P"°?  PWspect. 
had  b*n  to  travel  nortW.^      j""'^'"'  slnstrnction. 
point,  if  ho  ever  reactelf*'"'  '"«»''">'<J  from  tyj 
•7  to  follow  that  dT^Sted  roZ'  f/  ^-"^  »«^  " 
seek  him  was  still  retained    A^li^  *'l«  >ntention  to 
glefield  was  compelled  toreUnS"^^ ^V'**"  In 
of  this  summer  sea.    On  the  X  "«•  *a'  o»Plo™tioi. 
?bel  reached  Cape  Alexanl,  f  ^  "'^..^"gnst  the  Is. 
■ng  northward  tho  ^.u     .'  *"<'  still  boldlv  atdZ. 
of  the  Polar  sCnfw^T'aW^  r  ^^f  "-^  S"^ 
nronsdip  into  the  PoTa^Bas'n  "'-??'"^«  ^er  adven! 
this  point  were  145  fathnm=     r?*    "^^  sonndinas  at 
hope  of  Captain  I  that  fi.^    J^  ^^  a'  'his  timfthi 
Ws  way  to  Wrings  It^?"  ^^  Po«t  he  might  find 

«.^g^navi^torfomeaXoa  f^'^l 

?£«  h       ';?y'  ^^'-to  the  northe'rn  r  ?^k"«   ""o'o- 
tte  boundless  fields  of  half  mpifIS  hemisphere,  tinges 

hues;  and  a  brightness  and  hi-fr  '"""' "'"» <=  •im^n 

ens,  which  almost  remind  ?h«„?""'""'^fi"  'he  he^v" 

i'l  v^'r '"''  oJ'a'fflsTan  iLtn  T'  "'!''«  boasted 

oes  of  the  steamship,  whi^  !!i,'i  ^  "'"'.onstomed  ech- 
frozen  wastes,  whicli  IJul  ^^"^^  rapidly  over  half 
traversed  at  a'  ^ry  sW  3  Z'"^'  '""^^  ^"'T  Wo 

Captain  Ingle&ld  was  now"""  T"** 
known  as  Smith's  Sound  th«„     o^'o^ng  what  is 
fannation  of  Baffin's  Bav     T.  '^^^  *"•  "o'them  con! 
body  of  water,  which  foL.  ^®  ''^^"^  shore  of  th^ 

w«  composed'  ^  a  higrrLrofI  '^^  *''''«'  Ooe^ 
aese  were  caUed  aft! r  &^p  ?   ^'^^  mountainT 


416 


OF  ABOnO  D1800TBBV. 


.:ft 


I 

111 


§ 


w 


! 

-'1 
I 


i'v 


the  name  cf  Yiotoria  Head,  in  honor  of  the  BritiHh 
queen.    Thns  also  on  the  eastern  shore  of  this  sea,  the 
most  northern  point  discovered  by  Captain  1.  he  named 
after  the  Danish  monarch,  Fredenck  VJUL.     After 
steaming  several  days  longer  in  a  north-west0m  di- 
rection, an  observation  was  made  of  the  position  of 
the  vessel,  when  it  was  found  that  she  had  reached 
78°  28'  21*  north  latitude.     From  this  it  appears  that 
Captain  Inglefield  has  the  credit,  according  to  his  own 
computation,  of  reaching  the  distance  of  140  miles 
further  north  than  had  been  attained  by  any  previ- 
ous navigator.    Tlie  vessel  was  now  surrounded  by 
immense  floating  icebergs.    The  frozen  shores  of  the 
ocean  receded  far  away  to  the  east  and  to  the  west  A 
furious  storm  of  wind  and  hail  drove  directly  in  the 
face  of  the  bold  navigators,  as  they  continued  their 
course  toward  the  pole.    Ko  traces  of  Sir  John  Frank- 
lin had  yet  been  discovered.    To  further  persist  in 
the  course  in  which  they  were  then  sailing,  was  only 
calculated  to  hem  them  in  with  the  oceans  of  ice 
which  the  rapidly  approaching  winter  would  congeal 
around  them ;  and  toe  moment  had  arrived,  in  the 
progress  of  the  expedition,  when  it  became  necessarv 
to  determine  what  final  course  should  be  pursued. 
While  the  commander  and  his  officers  were  deliber* 
ating  on  the  most  suitable  decision  to  be  selected, 
the  vessel  was  suddenly  surrounded  with  perils  such 
as  she  had  not  encountered  since  the  commencement 
of  the  voyage.    A  vast  land-pack  of  ice  bad  floated 
from  the  west,  unpercoived  through  the  heavy  fo^ ; 
and  immediately  the  Isabel  became  involved  in  its 
angrv,  turbulent,  and  daneerous  embrace.   The  swell 
Ufted  the  ship  far  into  the  pack ;  and  the  violence 
and  fury  of  tne  troubled  masses  were  indicated  by 
tiie  loud  roar  of  the  waters  surging  on  the  vast  floe- 
pieces  by  which  the  vessel  was  surrounded.    The 
nrightful  chaos  of  rolling  masses,  tossing  the  vessel  to 
and  fro  like  a  feather  in  their  midst,  seemed  to  render 
esoape  from  the  impending  peril  of  being  eithei 


^"' 


TOTAOB  or  TBS  ■TBJLMEB  IBIBBL. 


417 


ernshed  or  snbmerged,  almost  impossible.  The  only 
possibillitj  of  rescue  consisted  in  threading  their  way 
amid  the  rolline  and  tossing  fragments,  by  the  aid  of 
t^e  steam  engine,  after  first  getting  the  head  of  the 
vessel  free  from  its  contact  with  the  ice.  As  the  ves- 
sel carefully  and  slowly  went  forward  amid  the  fioat- 
ine  ice,  immense  masses  dropped  astern  one  after  anr 
other  into  her  wake.  She  escaped  at  length  throngh 
every  danger ;  though  the  edges  of  the  fan  of  the 
screw  were  brightened  from  frequent  abrasion  against 
the  ice. 

Oaptain  Inglefield  now  continued  to  sail  eastward. 
He  passed  by  and  observed  new  islands  which  wore 
then  unknown  and  nameless,  to  which  he  applied  ap- 

Eropriate  epithets.  On  the  1st  of  September  the  sea 
adbecome  so  completelv  encumbered  with  the  float- 
ing  ice  as  to  make  the  nirther  progress  of  the  vessel 
both  difficult  and  dangerous.  Captain  Inglefield  then 
determined  to  steer  for  the  purpose  of  meeting  the 
squadron  of  Sir  Edward  Belcner,  which  had  also  oeen 
sent  out  for  the  purpose  of  searching  those  seas  for 
Sir  John  Franklm  by  the  British  government ;  and 
which  would  winter  there  in  accordance  with  their 
instractions.  Captain  Inglefield  was  induced  to  pur- 
sue this  course  in  order  that  he  might  carry  his  sur- 
plus provisions,  stores,  and  coals  to  that  squadron : 
and  tnat  he  might  convey  to  them  the  latest  news  and 
information  from  England.  It  was  his  intention  then, 
unless  some  special  service  required  his  exertions,  to 
return  to  England  with  intelligence  from  the  squad- 
ron of  Sir  £.  Belcher,  and  the  prospects  of  success 
which  still  attended  their  labors  of  discovery.  That 
squadron  Captain  Inglefield  knew  was  then  stationed 
At  Beech^y  Island,  and  thither  he  immediately  steered. 
So  severe  had  the  weather  already  become,  that  the 
heavy  seas  which  broke  over  the  Isabel  continually 
Croze,  and  her  bows  became  one  mass  of  ioe.  binding 
the  anchor  fast  to  her  side.  After  several  days  of 
rapid  sailing, Beeohey  Ldatid  waa  reached;  but  the 


418 


FBOOBBM  0I>  ABOnO  DISOOTSBT. 


riif 


■mMbJ*!  I 


i.\ 


Nortb  Star  alone  was  fonnd  there.  The  rest  of  Sb 
E.  Belcher's  equadron  had  sailed,  about  three  weeks 
before,  up  Wellington  channel,  and  it  was  Buppoeed 
that  he  hac  steered  thence  through  the  open  waten 
beyond  Parry  Strait. 

It  was  on  this  Island  that  Captain  Inlegfleld  was 
shown  the  three  graves  of  some  of  Sir  John  Franklin's 
crew,  to  which  reference  has  already  been  made  on 
page  376  of  this  volume.    Plunging  through  the 
snow  which  was  knee-deep,  he  reached,  under  the 
guidance  of  one  of  the  officers  of  the  North  Star,  those 
sad  and  lonely  resting  places  of  mortalitv.    He  found 
them  unchanged  from  what  they  haa  been  when 
visited  by  Lieutenant  De  Haven;  and  he  was  in- 
formed by  his  guide  that  a  polar  bear  of  monstrous 
size  was  frequently  seen  keeping  his  grim  and  cheer- 
less vigils  over  the  dead,  and  sitting  on  the  graves. 
Captain  Inglefield  picked  up  some  of  the  meat  canis- 
ters which  lay  scattered  on  the  island,  and  some  relics 
of  canvas  and  wood  which  were  supposed  to  have  be- 
longed to  the  missing  ships.    He  obtained  from  the 
commander  of  the  Korth  Star  all  the  information  ne- 
cessary in  reference  to  the  condition  and  prospects  of 
Sir  John  Belcher  and  Captain  Kellett,  both  of  whom 
held  commands  in  that  squadron.    They  had  as  yet 
discovered  no  trace  of  Sir  John  Franklin ;  but  it  was 
their  purpose  to  pass  the  winter  in  the  Polar  Seas,  for 
the  purpose  of  renewing  their  researches  in  the  en- 
suing spring. 

As  this  voyage  of  tho  Isabel  was  only  a  summer 
cruise,  and  as  the  vessel  was  neither  adapted  nor  in- 
tended to  confront  th"^  overwhelming  rigors  of  the 
winter  season  in  the  Arctic  regions,  it  was  but  proper 
that,  as  the  season  was  now  rapidly  advancing.  Cap- 
tain Inglefield  should  resume  nis  voyage  homeward, 
to  escape  the  greater  perils  wh^ch  delay  would  entaiL 
Accoroingly,  on  the  10th  of  September  the  Isabel  com- 
menced to  sail  in  a  southern  direction.  On  the  12th 
the  reached  Mount  Possession.    On  the  14th  she  was 


TOTAOB  OF  THB  STEAMEB  ISABEL. 


410 


the 
1  ne- 
ts of 
bom 
yet 
was 
,for 
en- 

^mer 
•in- 
tbe 

Jap* 
[ard, 
ItaiL 
50in- 
L2th 
iwos 


tfppoBite  Cape  Bowen.  Captain  Inglefield  landed 
liere  to  examine  the  traces  of  a  cairn,  which  was  said 
i»  exist.  But  he  saw  nothing  save  the  large  and  deep 
footprints  of  a  great  Polar  bear,  and  those  of  the  small 
Arctic  fox. 

Here  the  further  progress  of  the  Isabel  along  the 
coast  "was  stopped  by  the  presence  of  vast  fields  of  ice. 
It  became  necessary  to  press  along  the  edge  of  the 
pack,  and  seek  for  an  opening  to  permit  her  to  ad- 
vance. This  pack  seemed  to  have  been  collected 
here  by  the  immense  icebergs  which  had  run  aground 
on  the  Hecla  And  Griper  banks,  and  thence  drifted 
south  by  the  continual  current  which  existed  on  those 
western  shores.  The  pack  stretched  away,  as  far  as 
the  eye  could  leAch,  both  southward  and  northward. 
A  storm  of  snow  tame  on,  such  as  one  sees  only  in 
Arctic  latitudes.  The  sea  also  became  exceedingly 
rough  and  boisterous;  and  wave  after  wave  broke 
over  the  whole  length  of  the  vessel.  Each  plunge 
filled  the  ringing  and  hung  the  spars  with  monstrous 
icicles ;  and  the  waves  irozo  as  they  flooded  the  deck, 
the  ropes,  and  the  sails ;  bo  that  the  hands  of  the  sail- 
ors were  frozen  fast  the  iostaat  they  touched  either 
of  them. 

On  the  21st  of  Seotember  the  weather  moderated, 
and  the  Isabel  boldly  dashed  through  the  crevices 
and  channels  of  the  pack.  Pancake  ice  was  rapidly 
forming  around  them,  giving  the  mariners  warning 
that  they  must  soon  vacate  that  locality,  or  else  4)e 
frozen  in,  beyond  the  power  oi  deliverance,  for  the 
winter.  Bapidly  the  Isabel  dashed  forward,  impelled 
by  the  unwearied  power  of  her  engine.  By  noon  on 
the  23d,  she  had  cleared  the  pack,  had  traveled  a  hun- 
dred and  seventeen  miles  in  twenty-four  hours,  and 
found  herseli'  in  69°  north  latitude.  Here  Captain 
Inglefield  encountered  a  gale  of  the  itmoBt  foiTy 
which  continued  during  five  days  incessantly.  The 
ocean  waves  now  attained  the  size  of  mountams,  and 
exceeded  in  violence  and  fury  even  those  which  loah 


420 


PBOOBBSS  OF  ABOTIO  DISOOTEBT. 


If 


'i 


LI'? 


I'' 

. 


the  bold  promontory  of  Cape  Ilom,^  where  the  waiers 
of  two  great  oceans  roll  together  in  hostile  rivalry. 
Vast  waves  continually  flooded  the  decks  fore  and 
aft.  Torrents  of  water  drenched  almost  every  portion 
of  the  vessel,  carrying  the  seamen  with  it  into  tlie  lee 
scuppers.  The  drifting  sleet  and  snow  drove  so  fierce- 
ly into  the  eyes  of  the  sailors,  that  it  was  almost  im- 
possible for  them  to  see,  or  to  execute  orders.  Nev- 
ertheles»,  the  gallant  ship  sailed  manfully  through  it 
all,  and  safely  outrode  the  gale,  though  with  the  loss 
of  her  spare  spars,  and  the  total  ribboning  of  her 
sails. 

In  order  to  rej)air  this  damage  Captain  Inglefield 
was  compelled,  after  the  storm  lulled,  to  steer  for  the 
nearest  port  of  Uolsteinburg,  in  order  to  make  repaii*8. 
This  port  he  reached  on  the  2d  of  October.  During 
the  week  which  the  captain  spent  here,  the  anniver- 
sary of  the  birth-day  of  the  king  of  Denmark  occurred ; 
which  gave  an  occasion  for  the  observation  of  the 
peculiarities  of  the  Esquimaux  tribes,  who  here  live 
as  the  remotest  subjects  of  that  monarch,  under  the 
Buperinteudence  of  a  governor  sent  from  Copenhagen. 
An  entertainment  was  ffiven  at  the  house  of  the  gov- 
ernor. Esquimaux  of  both  sexes  attended,  danced 
their  native  dances,  drank  their  brandy-punch  fur- 
nished both  by  the  governor  and  by  Captain  Ingle- 
field, and  became  elated  and  uproarious  in  the  ex- 
treme. The  governor's  wife  was  an  Esquimaux  wo- 
m&u ;  and  Captain  Inglefield  had  the  honor  of  c.we« 
cuting  with  her  the  intricate  mazes  of  an  Esquimaux 
'Quadrille,  to  the  monotonous  scraping  of  a  crippled 
fiddle,  bound  around  and  held  together  with  diverg 
strings  and  splinters. 

On  the  7tn  of  October  the  Isabel  again  put  to  sea, 
and  again  she  encountered  a  storm  of  unusual  vio- 
lence. The  helmsman  was  very  nearly  washed  over- 
board.    On  the  13th  the  gale  moderated,  and  the 


? 


TOTAOS  or  THE  gTEAMBB  DABKU 


421 


▼ossel  then  continned  hor  way  across  the  Atlantic. 
No  incident  worthy  of  special  notice  occurred  dnring 
the  rest  of  the  homeward  voyage.  On  the  4th  of  No- 
vember the  Isabel  anchored  at  Stroraness,  having  been 
absent  precisely  four  months  from  the  day  of  starting. 
And  although  this  expedition,  taking  place  as  it  did 
in  the  summer  months,  was  devoid  of  the  usual  ex- 
treme horrors  and  vicissitudes  which  attend  Arctio 
researches,  it  accomplished  results  which  were  by  no 
means  of  secondary  importance.  Captain  Inglefield 
carefully  examined  the  unknown  eastern  shore  of  the 
Polar  Basin,  as  far  north  as  78°  35',  throwing  con- 
siderable light  upon  the  disputed  question,  whether 
Baffin's  Bay  opens  into  the  Polar  Basin.  He  also 
explored  the  waters  of  the  shores  of  Smith  Sound,  in 
search  of  Sir  John  Franklin,  but  in  vain.  Jones 
Sound  was  then  examined,  -^ith  the  same  result,  and 
he  ascertained  the  probable  fact  that  this  sound  is  a 
gulf  having  no  outlet,  except  perhaps  by  some  small 
n'ozen  strait  into  the  Polar  Sea.  Lancasteii'  Sound 
was  also  visited,  and  the  western  coast  of  Baffin's  Bay 
as  far  south  as  the  river  Clyde.  Throughout  a  coast 
of  six  hundred  continuous  miles,  many  alterations  and 
additions  were  made  in  the  geography  of  those  coun- 
tries. And  altogether,  for  a  private  expedition  of 
uo  very  great  expense,  executed  in  a  small  vessel, 
i^hough  amply  provisioned  and  stored,  the  results  at- 
^  lined  were  as  important  as  could  reasonably  have 
been  expected. 

ElOUTEBN  MONTHS  IN  TUB  PoLAB  BsQIONS  IN  BEABOH  09 

Sm  John  Franklin's  ExpsDrnoN,  in  the  teabs 
1850 — 61,  BY  Lieutenant  Sherard  Osbobn,  with 
THE  Steam  Vessels  Pioneeb  and  Intbepid. 

In  May,  1850,  this  expedition  was  fitted  out  at 
Woolwich,  for  the  purpose  of  continuing  the  search 
after  the  missing  marinem.  The  instructions  of  the 
British  Admirahty  to  the  commar-ier  were,  that  he 


■HRmnMH 


an 


FE0OREB8  OF  ABOTIO  DI800YEBT. 


should  examine  Barrow's  Straits  south-westerly  to 
Cape  "Walker,  westerly  toward  Melville  Island,  and 
north-westerly  up  Wellington  CXiannel, 

On  the  26th  of  May  the  expedition  approached  tha 
shores  of  Greenland,  and  came  within  view  of  Cape 
Farewell.  They  proceeded  rapidly  on  until  they 
reUched  their  first  place  of  stoppage,  the  Whale  Fish 
Isles.  A  day  was  spent  here  in  taking  in  provisions 
and  fowls.  From  this  point  the  view  of  the  shores 
of  Greenland  n^  a  distance  was  picturesque  in  the 
extreme.  Its  ^4  I's,  its  lofty  peaks,  and  its  frozen 
headlands  present  every  variety  of  shape;  while 
between  them  and  the  vessels,  the  sea  was  covered 
with  an  infinite  variety  of  tossing  icebergs  of  every 
possible  size  and  proportion,  exhibiting  the  richest 
emerald  hues,  and  glowing  with  the  deepest  azure 
tints.  The  awful  silence  of  the  scene  was  impressive 
in  the  highest  degree,  a  silence  which  would  often  be 
suddenly  broken  by  a  distant  roar  reverberating 
along  the  surface  of  the  deep,  and  among  the  frozen 
masses.  It  was  the  breaking  up  of  some  vast  ice- 
hergs,  whose  fragments  would  roll  over  into  the  sea, 
plunge  beneath  its  surface,  and  cover  the  spot  of  its 
descent  with  foam  and  spray.  This  process  was  re- 
peated at  short  intervals,  in  every  direction  of  the 
compass  around  them,  and  as  far  as  their  eyes  could 
reach. 

The  29th  of  June  still  found  Captain  Osborn  cruising 
opposite  the  northern  extremity  of  Greenland.  He 
here  be^an  to  experience  the  dangers  that"  accom- 
panied the  necessity  which  he  sometimes  felt  of  an- 
choring to  icebergs.  This  operation  is  frequently  in- 
dispensable in  Arctic  regions,  when  progress  in  the 
required  direction  is  for  a  time  impossible.  The  ice- 
bergs in  consequence  of  their  immense  size  are  often 
agroimd,  and  thus  seamen  may  anchor  fast  to  them 
in  two  hundred  fathoms  of  water,  without  any  more 
trouble  than  digging  a  hole  in  the  iceberg,  and  in- 
■erting  a  hook  into  1^  CAlle^  an  ice-anchor.    This  is 


Ifl 


UBUTBNAST  OSOOBN'b  EXFJEDlTICnf* 


428 


attached  to  a  whale  line,  which  enables  the  ship  to 
riile  ont  nnder  the  leo  of  this  natural  breakwater,  and 
often  thus  to  escape  both  the  violence  of  the  winds, 
and  the  rude  shocks  of  a  lee  pack. 

But  tJio  dangers  which  sometimes  accompany  this 
process  are  considerable.  Sometimes  the  very  first 
stroke  of  the  man  setting  the  ice-anchor,  causes  a  por- 
tion of  the  iceberg  to  break  oif,  and  the  personfi  em- 
ployed in  the  work  run  great  risk  of  being  crushed  by 
the  falling  masses.  Sometimes  pieces  of  ice  become 
detached  from  the  upper  portions  of  the  berg,  and 
falling  on  the  ships  below,  liave  injured  spars,  and 
crushed  sailors  to  death.  Occasionally  these  masses 
have  been  so  immense  as  even  to  sink  the  vessel. 

On  the  6th  of  July  Captain  Osborn  Lad  bis  first 
experience  of  the  real  perils  of  the  Arctic  world.  All 
hands  were  at  dinner  when  the  news  suddenly  came 
down  from  the  deck,  that  a  vast  body  of  ice  was  ap- 
proaching under  the  pressure  of  a  strong  southerly 
gale.  A  heavy  brown  vapor  preceded  it,  under 
which  the  ice  gleamed  fiercely,  and  the  floes  were  rap- 
idly pressing  together.  The  best  security  against 
danger  in  cases  of  this  kind,  is  the  preparation  of 
docks  in  the  body  of  the  ice,  which  are  cut  in  the* 
portion  which  is  nrm  and  solid.  Into  these  the  ships 
are  then  inserted,  and  they  are  thus  protected  from 
the  collisions  c*^  the  loose  fragments.  In  this  case 
one  hundred  persons  were  instantly  on  the  solid  ice^ 
their  triangles  were  rigged,  and  their  long  ice-saws 
were  at  work.  A  hundred  manly  voices  accompanied 
their  labor  with  the  jolly  sailor  songs  of  merry  old 
England.  The  ice  was  about  three  leet  in  thickness, 
and  the  saws  employed  were  ten  feet  in  length.  Very 
soon  the  vast  cavity  intended  to  receive  the  ships  began 
to  take  form  and  shape,  and  they  then  were  removed 
into  them.  The  relief  was  much  needed;  for  the 
pressure  of  the  pack  extended  itself  some  ten  miles 
to  the  north  of  the  position  of  the  vessels ;  the  col- 
Uaiohs  between  the  noes  and  tho  iceberg  becamepro- 


ii« 


*    ill 


li 


n 


PB00BE8S  OF  ABOTIO  DIBOOVEBY. 


rt.  > 


5f '  [»'  i ! 


IN   ' 


digions ;  and  had  the  ships  been  between  them,  thej 
would  inevitably  have  suffered  severely.  But  safely 
ensconced  in  their  docks,  the  export  seamen  could 
gaze  with  pleasure  at  the  sublime  spectacle  presented 
for  many  miles  on  either  side  of  them. 

In  spite  of  the  vigilance  of  Capt  Osborn,  his  ships 
became  entangled  on  the  20th  oi  July,  in  the  midst 
of  a  heavy  pack,  six  feet  in  thickness.  So  great  was 
the  pressure  that  every  plank  and  timber  was  crack- 
ing and  groaninff.  The  vessels  were  thrown  over  on 
their  sides,  and  lifted  up  bodily,  the  bulkheads  crack- 
ing, the  decks  archi^^  from  the  strain,  and  even  the 
Bcupper-pieces  turning  out  from  their  mortices.  The 
ice  was  rapidly  piling  up  as  high  as  the  bulwarks, 
around  the  vessels.  There  seemed  to  be  no  possible 
remedy  against  the  dentruction  of  the  ships.  The 
sailors  quickly  brought  their  bundles  of  clothes  on 
deck,  for  the  purpose  of  taking  refuse  on  the  ice. 
At  this  moment  a  deep  dent  in  the  side  of  the  Pion- 
eer, and  the  breaking  of  twenty-one  of  her  timbers, 
indicated  her  great  danger.  But  fortunately,  at  the 
very  moment  when  it  was  thought  that  she  must  be 
crushed  to  pieces,  the  strain  of  the  floe-edge  suddenly 
eased,  and  the  ship  was  saved  from  destruction. 

From  the  20th  to  the  Slst  of  July  the  squadron  con- 
tinned  to  pursue  their  route ;  yet  so  impenetrable  was 
the  ice,  that  but  seven  miles  was  made  during  the 
whole  of  that  interval,  in  the  right  direction  1  Bv 
the  13th  of  August  the  squadron  had  passed  through 
Mellville  Bay,  and  had  reached  Cape  York.  They 
were  still  a  considerable  distance  from  the  chief  point 
of  research.  Yet  here  they  were  detained  for  two 
days  in  chasing  up  the  groundless  fabrication  of  Ad- 
am Beek,  alluded  to  in  tne  previous  article,  in  refer- 
ence to  the  destruction  of  Sir  John  Franklin  and  his 
crews  at  this  point,  by  the  native  Esquimaux. 

On  the  15th  of  August  Captain  Osborn  struck  we'^t- 
ward,  and  entered  a  wida  sea  of  water  which  seemed 
Bnobetraoted  by  the  ice.    The  shores  of  this  portion 


UBUTENiNT  OSBOBN's  EXPEDITIOV. 


49« 


of  Baffin's  Bay,  which  is  termed  the  "West  Land,  ap- 
peared to  be  free  from  snow,  and  to  be  even  compar- 
atively verdant  and  gonial.  At  Button's  Point  the 
commander  landed,  and  was  able,  at  this  season  of 
the  summer,  to  kill  both  deer  and  salmon.  The  na- 
tives  of  this  region  liad  here  erected  numerous  un- 
roofed winter  houses,  of  the  rudest  structure;  and 
the  navigators  discovered  many  cairns,  standing  gen- 
erally in  pairs.  These  were  instantly  pulled  aown, 
for  tne  purpose  of  discovering  their  hidden  contents. 
Nothing  however  was  found  of  a  suspicious  or  sug- 

festivo  nature.  These  cairns  seemed  to  be  nothing 
ut  marks  erected  by  the  Esquimaux,  to  enable  them 
to  discover,  on  the  return  of  winter,  the  places  where 
they  had  stored  their  sea-blubber  gocM.  A  ring  of 
stones  several  feet  high  were  all  the  indications  of 
these  Esquimaux  huts  which  appeared  above  the  f  ur- 
face  of  the  ground. 

It  was  on  the  22d  of  August  that  this  expedition 
ontered  Lancaster  Sound.  This  is  the  great  gate-^rav 
to  those  Arctic  waters,  around  which  so  many  thrill- 
ing associations  cluster  of  maritime  adventure,  suffer- 
ing, and  discovery.  It  was  first  explored  by  the  bold 
Baffin,  two  hundred  years  ago,  and  was  named  by 
him  after  the  duke  of  Lancaster.  Baffin  termed  it  a 
sound.  Sir  John  Ross,  forty  years  since,  discoveired 
that  it  was  a  bay ;  and  Parry,  who  has  not  unfitly 
been  termed  the  prince  of  Arctic  navigators,  uiitil 
the  vastly  superior  abilities  and  services  of  the  im- 
mortal Kane  justly  deprived  him  of  that  honorable 
eminence,  explorea  this  bay  throughout  the  extent  of 
600  miles  toward  Behring's  Straits. 

It  was  to  complete  the  exploration  of  the  remain- 
ing 600  miles  of  this  unknown  region,  that  the  exjte* 
dition  of  Sir  John  Franklin  and  his  140  gallant  asiK)- 
ciates  had  been  devoted.  Hence  in  pursuing  tlsia 
line  of  travel  and  adventure,  Lieutenant  Osbo'n 
justly  supposed  that  he  was  following  the  most  pre  V 
able  and  most  certain  ooui'se  to  ascertain  the  £ftte    t 


426 


raOOBESS  OF  ABOTTO  DIBOOTEBT. 


14 


"m 


f    :,. 


that  lost  and  unfortunate  expedition.    Ho  had  al- 
ready discovered  one  important  fact  in  reference  to 
the  phenomena  of  the  Arctic  regions ;  or  if  ho  had 
not  absolutely  discovered  it,  he  ascertained  its  cer- 
tainty.   This  was  that  the  iceberg,  the  most  wonder- 
ful peculiarity  of  those  climes,  is  the  creation  of  the 
glacier.    It  had  formally  been  supposed,  even  by  the 
most  learned,  that  the  iceberg  was  the  accumulation 
of  the  ice  and  snow  which  the  lapse  of  ages  had  pro- 
duced ;  that  a  vast  circle  of  ice  many  miles  in  height 
and  depth,  surrounded  the  pole  like  an  eternal  belt ; 
that  these  huffe  cupolas  of  ice  towered  far  up  into 
the  cheerless  heavens  of  the  north  ;  transcendmg  in 
size  and  altitude  the  utmost  creations  of  human  arch- 
itecture ;   and  that  these  stupendous  icebergs  were 
merely  fragments  which  had  become  detached,  prob- 
ably by  their  own  weight,  from  the  parent  mass,  and 
had  then  floated  away  into  more  southern  seas.    This 
fanciful  conception  has  now  been  exploded ;  and  it 
is  proved  that  the  iceberg  is  only  known  to  exist 
where  there  is  land  of  a  nature  adapted  to  form  the 
glacier.     Accordingly,  Captain  Osborn  reasoned  that 
where  icebergs  burdened  the  ocean,  glacier  lands 
could  not  be  far  distant;  and  he  dir^^cted  the  move- 
ments of  his  exploring  squadron  accordingly.     It  was 
by  following  this  principle  that  Sir  James  Ross  dis- 
covered the  circumpolar  continent  of  Queen  Victo- 
ria's Land,  in  the  Southern  or  Antarctic  hemisphere. 
On  the  26th  of  August  the  ships  entered  Regent's 
Inlet.    The  nights  were  only  two  houi*s  in  duration. 
Next  day  a  pack  of  ice  was  discovered  some  10  miles 
to   the   eastward.     They  instantly  sailed  westward, 
giving  the  intruders  very  wide  sea-room.    They  soon 
reached  Beechey's  Island,  on  which  the  tliree  graves 
of  Sir  John  Franklin's  seamen  were  to  bo  iound,  and 
other  evidences  which  showed  that  he  hud  sojourned 
there  during  1846-46,  the  first  winter  of  their  ab* 
sence.    This  circumstance  confuted  ilm  opinions  of 
thoie  who  held  Uiat  Sir  John  Franklin  had  perished 


UBUTKNANT  OSBORN'S  BXFBDRIOV. 


497 


Us- 
ito- 


reb 

Lud 

led 

lb. 

lof 

ed 


in  the  depths  of  Baffin's  Bay  on  )m  ontward  voyage ; 
and  proved  that  he  had  advanced  safely  to  a  very  re- 
mote point  in  Arctic  travel  and  discovery.  On 
Beechey's  Island  Captain  Osborn  saw  another  mourn- 
ful trace  of  Sir  John  Franklin.  It  was  the  remnant 
of  a  garden,  with  a  neatly  shaped  oval  ontline,  the 
borders  carefully  covered  with  moss,  lichen,  and  an- 
emones, which  lie  had  transplanted  from  a  more  ge- 
nial clime ;  and  these  even  yet  continued  to  show 
some  traces  of  vitality.  At  some  distance  from  this 
garden  the  foundations  of  a  store-house  were  discov- 
ered. These  consisted  of  an  interior  and  exterior 
embankment,  into  which  oak  and  elm  scantling  had 
been  stuck,  as  supports  to  the  roofing.  Within  the 
enclosure  some  empty  coal-sacks  were  found,  and 
some  wood  shavings.  It  is  probable  that  this  store- 
house had  been  constructed  by  Sir  John  Franklin  to 
preserve  a  portion  of  the  abundant  provisions  with 
which  his  decks  had  been  encumbered  when  h(9  left 
Whale  Fish  Islands.  Captain  Osborn  also  discovered 
a  pair  of  Caslmiere  gloves  which  had  been  laid  out 
to  dry  by  one  of  the  lost  crews  ;  on  each  of  which  a 
small  stone  had  been  placed  to  prevent  them  from 
being  swept  away  by  the  wind.  They  had  rested 
there,  having  been  probably  forgotten  by  their  owner, 
ever  since  1846 ! 

A^aiu  on  this  occHsion  were  the  three  lonely  graves 
of  Sir  John  Franklin's  seamen  scanned  by  a  sailor's 
eye,  anct  wept  over  by  thoM  gallant  adventurers. 
Ihese  graves  are  simple  and  Ljat  in  their  appearance, 
such  as  British  sailors  erect  i  rer  the  bodies  of  their 
departed  messmates,  in  eveiy  quarter  of  the  globe, 
wnether  in  the  frozen  zones  vf  tiie  north,  the  coral- 
girded  isles  of  the  south,  the  erdant  and  spicy  vales 
of  the  east,  or  the  gold-giiV  k1  climes  of  the  west 
They  are  graves  whicli  reniiu  i  the  observer  of  some 
quiet  church-yard  in  Englar.  i  or  in  our  own  land, 
where  the  departed  sleep  be\.Aath  the  very  eaves  oi 
the  humble  sanctuary,  surroiLaded  by  the  green  tar( 


m 


raoOBlBS  OF  ASOnO  DUOOYKBT. 


im 


the  waving  grass,  and  the  blooming  rose,  willi  which 
the  hand  of  affection,  or  the  undisturbed  frnitf^lnen 
of  nature  has  surrounded  them.  One  ^rave  of  the 
three  is  especially  suggestive  of  mournful  thoughts. 
It  is  that  of  *^  J.  .Ilartnell,  B.  A.,  of  the  ship  Ereous ; 
died  January  4th,  1846.  Aged  25  years."  Here 
was  a  youth  who  had  been  reared  amid  the  classic 
shades  and  the  ennobling  associations  of  one  of  En- 
gland's great  universities — either  a  Cantab  or  an  Ox- 
onian— and  strange  to  say,  he  was  destined  to  lav  his 
form  to  take  its  long  last  sleep  in  the  lonely  and  cneer- 
less  solitude  of  that  fi  .^zen  zone ;  and  that,  too,  in  the 
prime  of  his  years,  and  far  distant  from  all  that  was 
connected  with  the  brilliant  hopes  of  his  youthful 
daysl 

When  about  to  leave  Beechey  Island,  Captain  Os- 
bom  found  it  difficult  to  determine  what  course 
should  be  taken.  It  was  evident  that  Sir  John  Frank- 
lin had  selected  one  of  three  routes,  in  1846.  The 
first  'vas  south-west  by  Cape  Walker;  the  second, 
north-  .^est  by  Wellington  Channel ;  the  third,  west 
by  Melville  Island.  Vague  reports  were  current 
among  the  crews,  that  some  of  Captain  Penny's  peo- 
ple had  seen  sledge-marks  on  the  eastern  shores  of 
Erebus  and  Terror  Bav.  Captain  Osborn  determined 
in  person,  first  to  explore  Beechey  Island,  in  that  di- 
rection. He  landed  on  the  north  shore  of  Union 
Bay,  at  the  base  of  the  cliffs  of  Cape  Spencer,  and 
soon  discovered  a  deep  slodge-mark  which  had  been 
cut  through  the  edge  of  one  of  the  ancient  natural 
terraces  on  the  beach.  It  was  in  a  line  between  the 
cairn  of  meat  cans  which  Franklin  had  erected  on 
the  northern  spur  of  Beechey  Island,  to  a  valley  be- 
tween the  Capes  Enues  and  Bowdeu.  From  its  ap- 
pearance, it  nad  been  evidently  an  outward-bound 
sledge,  and  its  depth  denoted  that  it  was  heavily  la- 
den. It  was  an  additional  evidence  of  the  tbrmer 
presence  of  Franklin  on  that  island.  Upon  further 
examination,  various  other  slodge-marka  were  di» 


LIEDTENANT  OSBOBN^B  EXPBDmOV. 


429 


(y,f«(ed  on  the  island.  At  one  spot  they  were  very 
niCimerou8,and  proved  tliat  there  a  rendezvous  had  been 
appointed  for  the  purpose  of  landing  some  of  the 
contents  of  the  ships.  From  this  point  some  of  the 
sledge  marks  ran  northward  into  a  gorge  through  the 
hills  ;  others  were  directed  toward  Caswell's  Tower,  a 
singular  mass  of  limestone  rock,  on  the  shore  of  Rad- 
stock  Bay,  which  served  as  a  useful  landmark  to  ah 
vessels  approaching  either  from  the  east  or  the  west. 

Captain  Osborn  here  divided  his  party,  and  each 
followed  the  sledge-marks  in  an  o;  )osite  direction. 
He  discovered  the  site  of  a  circular  tent,  which  had 
evidently  been  constructed  and  used  by  a  shooting 
party  from  the  Erebus  or  Terror.  The  stones  which 
h;id  been  used  to  coniino  the  canvas  to  its  place,  lay 
around.  Several  large  stones  well  blackened  with 
smoke,  indicated  where  the  fire-place  had  been ;  and 
porter- hot des,  meat-cans,  pieces  of  paper,  and  feath- 
ers, were  strewed  about.  Yet  no  written  line  or 
mark  was  detected,  to  throw  any  light  on  the  great 
mystery  )\hich  occupied  their  minds.  After  seven 
hours  of  hard  walking.  Captain  Osborn  and  his  men 
returned  to  the  ships.  Such  were  all  the  traces 
which  the  utmost  industry  and  scrutiny  could  dis- 
cover of  Sir  John  Franklin,  in  this  last  known  spot 
of  his  habitation.  From  the  1st  to  the  4th  of  Sep- 
tember the  ships  lay  waiting  for  an  opening  in  the 
tixed  ice,  to  enable  them  to  resume  their  voyage.  At 
length  on  the  5th,  the  appearance  of  the  ice  and  the 
direction  of  the  wind  being  favorable,  Captaii-  Os- 
born immediately  gave  orders  to  proceed  across  V\rel- 
lington  Channel  toward  Barlow  Inlet. 

Before  this  course  had  been  pursued  for  any  di»- 
tance,  the  channel  became  blocked  up  with  a  vast 
held  of  floating  ice.  A  northerly  gale  began  to  blow 
furiously  over  its  surface  ;  and  the  ships  oi  the  squad- 
^-on  were  swept  along  with  the  ice,  in  whose  embrace 
they  were,  out  of  the  channel  toward  Leopold  Island. 
Ihe  Bf^uadron  drifted  at  tlie  rate  of  a  mile  per  hovur, 

27 


130 


nOQKUB  OV  ABOTIO  DSOOyKBT. 


"TiS' 


I' 


toward  tho  sonth-onst.  SucUlonly  an  opening  in  the 
pack  occnrned,  and  the  stoara-ongino  was  instantly 
Drought  into  roquisition,  to  enable  tho  seamen  to  ex- 
tricate themselves.  Soon  they  reached  again  the 
open  water ;  and  found  themselves  near  the  sqnadron 
of  Captain  Penny,  and  the  American  vessels,  com- 
manded by  De  llavcn.  These  were  then  making 
sail  under  a  full  press  of  canvas  for  Cape  Ilotham. 

When  in  this  position  on  the  11th  of  September, 
1850,  the  Arctic  winter  descended  on  tlie  adventur- 
ers. The  heavens  became  overclouded  with  black- 
ness, and  the  atmospliere  filled  with  hail,  snow,  and 
sleet.  A  heavy  sea  began  to  roll,  and  tho  loose  frag- 
ments of  the  rapidly  congealing  ice  again  to  close 
around  them.  A  snug  harbor  was  happily  discov- 
ered ftr  the  winter,  between  Capes  Ilotham  and  Mar- 
tyr, on  the  south  side  of  Cornwullis  Island.  Here 
tlie  Pioneer  and  Intrepid  were  taken  and  secured. 
Several  parties  were  sent  out  to  carry  provisions  and 
establish  depots  on  the  intended  routes  of  the  dilfer- 
ent  expeditions  which  would  explore  this  region  in 
the  spring  of  1851.  Lieutenant  McClintook  carried 
out  a  depot  toward  Melville  Island,  and  Lieutenant 
Aldrich,  taking  another  toward  Lowthor  Island. 
Lieutenant  Mecham  was  also  sent  to  examine  Corn- 
wallis  Island,  between  Assistance  Harbor  and  Cape 
Martyr,  for  traces  of  the  progress  of  Sir  John 
Franklin. 

Captain  Osborn  determined  to  embrace  this  op- 
portunity to  connect  the  search  troir.  the  spot  whci'O 
Lieutenant  Mecham  left  the  coast,  to  the  poiut  at 
which  Lieutenant  McCliutock  again  took  it  up,  thus 
completing  the  survey  of  this  whole  region,  throu«(h 
which  it  was  very  naturally  inferred  that  Sir  JoLu 
Franklin  had  passed.  He  started  on  the  10th  of  Oc- 
tober, provided  with  five  day's  provisions.  The  party 
consisted  of  six  persons.  Ihe  thermometei  was  six 
degreea  above  zero,  and  accordingly  the^  did  not 
•tt&r  from  the  soYeritj  of  tho  weather.    AiW  « 


UEUTBNAlfT  OSBOBN'B  EXPEDXTIOV* 


481 


march  of  three  honrs  thoj  came  to  Gape  Martyr. 
Striking  inward  on  Comwallis  Island,  Captain  Os* 
born  camo  suddenly  in  view  of  a  structure  which  at 
once  excited  the  utmost  interest,  with  the  hope  that 
it  might  be  some  unknown  monument  of  the  lost 
navigators.  It  was  a  round,  conical-shaped  building, 
twenty  feet  in  circumference  at  the  base.  The  apex 
hud  fallen  in,  but  the  height  of  what  remained  was 
live  feet  «ix  inches.  It  was  well  built,  and  those  who 
had  reared  it  seemed  to  have  well  understood  the 
strength  of  the  arched  roof,  to  resist  the  weight  of  the 
immenue  amount  of  snow  which  falls  in  those  regions. 
Much  skill  was  exhibited  in  the  arrangement  of  the 
slates  of  limestone  with  which  the  building  was  con- 
structed. The  stones  of  the  apex  which  had  fallen 
within  the  walls  were  quickly  rem(>ved,  but  thoy  dis- 
covered nothing  which  could  enlighten  them  as  to 
the  origin  of  the  structure.  Yet  it  was  evident  from 
the  thick  moss  which  adhered  to  the  walls,  that  it 
was  not  of  recent  origin,  and  that  in  fact  it  must 
have  been  built  many  years  before  the  date  of  Sir 
John  Franklin's  voyage.  The  position  of  this  mys- 
terious monument  was  lonely  in  the  extreme.  If 
seemed  to  be  a  solitary  landmark  in  that  polar  world, 
of  the  former  and  transient  abode  of  some  unknown 
visitant;  and  it  bore  clear  evidence  that  it  was  not 
the  product  of  the  labor  of  the  rude  Esquimaux,  who 
sometimes  in  their  summer  wanderings  reached  even 
these  remote  latitudes.  Nothing  more  of  interest 
was  discovered  on  Cornwallis  Island ;  and  Captain 
Oaborn  returned  to  his  ships. 

On  the  ITth  of  October  the  commander  of  the 
ships  which  composed  this  squad  ion,  determined  that 
as  soon  as  thoy  could  couuuouce  operations  in  the  en 
suing  spring,  Captain  Penny  was  to  continue  the  ex- 

Eloration  ot  Wellington  Channel,  while  Captain  Os- 
orn  was  to  continue  his  researches  toward  Melville 
Island,  and  from  Cape  Walker  toward  the  south-west 
With  tho  settlement  of  this  arrangement,  ail  tha  !»• 


]| 


! 


432 


PB00BS8B  Of  ABOnO  DISOOYXBT. 


bora  of  the  squadron  for  the  year  1850  closed,  as  the 
Qtmost  rigors  of  a  polar  winter  were  now  npon  them. 
The  upper  docks  were  then  covered  in.  The  stoyea 
and  warming  apparatus  were  set  to  work.  The  boats 
were  secured  on  the  ice.  All  the  lumber  was  re- 
in jved  from  the  upper  decks.  The  masts  and  yards 
were  made  as  snug  as  possible ;  and  rows  of  posts 
were  placed  between  the  ships,  to  designate  the  way 
amid  the  darkness  and  storms  of  winter.  Holes  were 
cut  through  the  ice  in  order  to  obtain  a  ready  supply 
of  water  in  case  of  fire ;  and  arrangements  were  made 
to  ensure  the  cleanliness  of  the  ships  and  the  crews. 
On  the  8th  of  November  several  officers  ascended  the 
heights  of  Griffith's  Island,  and  at  noon  caught  the 
last  glimpse  of  the  sun,  which  they  were  destined 
to  see,  for  some  months  ;  though  it  was  then  17  miles 
below  the  horizon,  and  the  rays  which  they  beheld 
were  those  only  of  refraction.  The  precise  position  of 
the  vessels  was  74^°  of  north  latitude. 

Though  the  sun  had  ceased  to  visit  those  Arctic 
^  heavens,  it  must  uot  be  supposed  that  the  bold  naviga- 
tors wera  in  darkness.  The  southern  horizon  was  il- 
lumed oach  day  during  several  hours  at  noon,  by  a 
deep  and  rosy  red  light,  mixed  with  pink  and  blue. 
Toward  the  north  the  prevalent  appearance  of  the 
heavens  was  a  cold,  bluish-black.  During  the  rest  of 
the  twenty-four  hours,  a  gray  twilight  prevailed  around 
them,  except  when  the  moon  was  full.  At  that  pe- 
riod a  subdued  splendor  was  cast  over  the  frozen  face 
of  nature,  which  finds  no  parallel  in  the  natural  phe- 
nomena of  other  and  more  favored  climes.  Thfi  love- 
liness of  an  Arctic  moonlight  none  can  know,  save 
those  who  themselves  have  seen  it. 

Thus  shut  out  from  all  the  world,  the  adventurers 
endeavored  to  wear  away  the  monotonous  months  of 
winter.  The  festivals  of  Christmas  and  New  Yeai 
were  observed  with  unusual  glee  and  festivity,  with 
Auoh  means  as  were  within  their  reach.  Sometimei 
^iie  weather  was  too  severe  to  permit  any  oommiini- 


UBUTENAin  OSBOBN  S  EXPEDITION. 


488 


cation  between  the  vessels.  During  a  portion  of  the 
time,  the  snow  was  drifted  to  such  immense  heights 
around  the  ships,  that  it  excluded  all  view  o:  th<,  sur- 
rounding wastes.  The  vessels  only  three  hundred 
yards  distant  I'rom  each  other,  were  often  invisible. 
Frequently  as  the  furious  storms  of  the  north  swept 
over  the  surrounding  ice  for  many  miles,  the  floor  vi- 
brated and  trembled  with  the  violence  of  the  shock, 
and  communicated  this  singular  motion  to  the  vessels. 
The  aurora  borealis  alone  disappointed  those  who 
were  connected  with  this  expedition.  It  was  deficient 
in  brilliancy  of  color.  It  was  also  inferior  in  extent 
to  what  they  anticipated.  The  scries  of  concentric 
semi-circles  of  light  were  subdued  by  dark  spaces 
between  them,  which  diminished  its  luster  and  gen- 
eral splendor.  The  snow  fell  almost  incessantly. 
When  heavy  ffales  blew  the  vessels  were  nearly 
smothered ;  and  vast  drifts  15  feet  thick  above  the 
decks,  had  to  be  removed  by  the  continual  labors  of 
the  seamen. 

Amid  such  scenes  as  these,  the  long  winter  slowlj 
passed  away.  Early  in  March  the  crews  began  to 
stir.  On  the  11th  of  that  month  the  thermometer 
was  41°  below  zero;  and  yet  this  temperature  was 
not  considered  as  too  seveio  for  active  operations. 
On  the  4th  of  April,  1851,  preparations  were  made 
to  travel  on  sledges,  for  the  purpose  of  pursuing  the 
inland  searches.  Captain  Ommaney  was  directed  to 
cross  Barrow's  Strait  and  Cape  Walker.  Lieutenant 
Aldrich  was  sent  with  two  slcuges  an  1  14  men  toward 
the  unknown  channel  of  Byam-Mari  in  Island.  Lieu- 
tenant McCormick  was  dispatched  to  Melville  Island, 
to  prosecute  his  researclies  as  far  as  Winter  Harbor, 
with  two  sledffes  and  13  men.  Other  ofScers  were 
sent  in  other  directions ;  making  in  all  fifteen  sledses, 
manned  by  105  men,  who  were  thus  distributea  in 
various  directions,  in  order  to  obtain  information  and 
indications  of  the  career  and  fate  of  the  squadron  of 
Sir  John  Franklin. 


484 


PBOOBEaS  OV  ABOmO  DI800TEBT. 


-vi;;:" 


i^j 


8>    '  ' 


I 


iri 


It  was  the  12th  of  April  when  these  expedition! 
started  forth  from  the  ships.  Our  space  forbids  ua 
to  follow  all  their  adventures,  which  were  exciting  and 
perilous  in  the  extreme,  over  vast  tracts  of  snow  and 
ice,  of  the  most  monstrous  and  irregular  shapes. 
The  whole  coast  of  Cape  Walker's  Land  was  sur- 
veyed. Many  of  the  seamen  became  snow-blind,  and 
many  had  frozen  feet.  They  beheld  vast  tracts  of 
snow-covered  land  hugged  by  the  icy  seas,  over  which 
a  silence  and  solitude  sullenly  brooded,  not  unlike 
that  of  a  primitive  chaos.  Mosi  of  the  sledge  parties 
accomplished  journeys  of  600  miles,  in  various  direc- 
tions, auring  tae  fifty  days  the  expedition  lasted.  Af- 
ter the  lapse  of  this  period,  or  nearly  so,  all  che  par- 
ties returned  to  the  ships.  Some  had  searched  the 
whole  western  ooast  of  Bathurst  Island.  Some  had 
been  to  Winter  Harbor,  Buehman  Cove,  and  Cape 
Dundas.  Others  had  explored  the  whole  eastern 
coast  of  Mellville  Island.  In  eighty  days  the  compa- 
ny under  Lieutenant  McClintock  had  traveled  800 
miles,  dragging  their  sledges  containing  their  provis- 
ions after  them.  He  and  iiis  men  had  performed  the 
greatest  labor  of  any  of  their  associates.  Yet  no- 
where, amid  all  thevje  various  researches,  in  every 
possible  and  available  direction,  had  the  least  trace 
been  detected  of  Sir  John  Franklin,  no  tradition  of 
his  presence,  no  monument  or  evidence  of  his  fate  I 

On  the  14th  of  August,  1851,  tlie  vessels  steered 
for  Joiios'  Sound,  which  they  entered  on  the  evening 
of  the  15th.  This  sound  was  discovered  to  be  the 
narrowest  about  the  entrance.  The  scenery  of  the 
shores  is  magnificent.  Ten  miles  inland  a  huge 
dome  of  pure  white  snow  ascended  to  the  height  of 
4,000  feet,  presenting  one  of  the  most  singular  spec- 
tacles which  could  well  be  imagined.  Beaching 
Capo  Hardwicke,  which  was  discovered  to  be  in  fact 
a  group  of  islands,  they  struck  eastward  toward  Cape 
OUurence,  which  seemed  to  be  the  utmost  limit  of  the 
amd  in  that  direction.    Proceeding  onward  in  their 


LIEUTENANT  OSBOBN'S  BXPEDITIOV. 


489 


lec- 

Pg 
ict 

e 


\l 


sonthom  route,  the  squadron  soon  came  in  sight  of 
Gary  Isles,  and  then  of  the  flat-topped  region  between 
Cape  York  and  Dudley  Digges.  The  steamers  then 
rapidly  advanced  on  tlieir  homeward  way.  On  the 
28th  of  August  they  reached  Wolstenholme  Island. 
Here  they  were  stopped  by  the  floating  ice ;  and  an- 
choring fast  to  an  iceberg,  they  awaited  the  first  open- 
ing which  might  occur.  Here  began  traces  again  of 
the  noraade  Esquimaux ;  and  thus  they  seemed  to 
have  returned  to  communion  with  the  rest  of  man- 
kind. By  the  1st  of  September  the  vessels  still  re- 
mained closely  packed  in  the  ice ;  and  nothing  ap- 
peared to  the  view  from  the  mast-head,  except  the 
boundless  horizon  of  the  frozen  ocean.  It  was  nev- 
ertheless necessary  for  Captain  Osbom  to  make  a 
bold  puph  of  some  description,  to  be  released  from  hia 
coiifii^^jment,  for  starvation  itself  might  soon  surprise 
his  associates  in  their  imprisonment.  In  a  day  or 
two  a  fortunate  slackening  of  the  ice  encouraged 
them  to  attempt  on  entering.  So  difficult  and  slow 
was  their  progress,  that  they  did  not  advance  more 
than  the  snips  length  during  tL  |>oriod,  and  after 
the  labors,  of  an  hour.  By  dint  of  c  )U'^<ant  ficrewing 
and  heaving,  however,  some  advance  "^iS  made. 
Gradually  the  sea  became  more  open ;  and  th  m  the 
powers  of  the  steam-engine  were  brought  into  play. 
A  moment's  further  delay  might  have  secured  their 
detention  for  tjie  whole  winter,  in  those  inhospitable 
and  frozen,  climes.  After  a  day  of  excessive  exer- 
tions, tlie  ships  had  wormed  their  way  through  the 
floating  ice  to  the  open  sea  which  lay  t^  the  south  of 
it,  and  thus  again  were  free. 

On  the  5th  of  September  the  squadron  commenced 
its  unobstructed  voyage  of  return  to  England.  In 
eight  days  they  reached  the  latitude  of  Cape  Farewell, 
and  at  iensth  safely  aucliored  at  Grimby,  in  the 
River  Humuer,  precisely  three  weeks  after  Uie  com- 
mencement of  their  homeward  bound  voyage.  The 
expedition  had  indeed  failed  either  to  rescue  Sir  Jobs 


I 


il 


V 1 


lis,' 


M  ] 


\ 


'"■. 


'     L 


IF 


^s--. 


439 


PBOOSESS  OF  ABOnO  DISOOTXBT 


Franklin,  or  even  to  soive  the  great  mystery  of  hsi 
fate ;  nevertheless  it  had  made  "  assurance  doubly 
Bure  "  that  he  had  Yiot  been  lost  in  the  regions  which 
they  had  visitoi,  but  that  he  must  have  proceeded 
on  his  adventurous  way  to  a  very  remote  and  une- 
qnaled  extreme  of  northern  latitude.  It  ascertained 
tliat,  if  he  had  perished  at  all,  he  had  perished  in  the 
execution  of  one  of  the  bolde  -t  and  most  desperate 
resolutions  ever  entertained  by  man,  to  explore  if 
possible,  the  utmost  limits  of  the  accessible  earth; 
and  to  arrive  as  near  to  the  Korth  Pole  as  it  was  pos- 
sible for  human  heroism,  endurance,  and  determina-  • 
tion  to  approach. 

But  other  interesting  and  valuable  researches  were 
made  by  this  expedition,  which  deserve  notice. 
These  established  the  fact  that  the  Esquimaux  tribes 
which  now  inhabit  portions  of  the  Arctic  Zone,  were 
once  very  numerous  along  the  whole  northern  shore 
of  Barrow's  Straits  and  Lancaster  Sound,  and  that  for- 
merly the  Esquimaux  were  among  the  most  widely 
diffused  races  on  the  earth,  so  far  as  superficial  ex- 
tent is  concerned.  From  Melville  Island  on  the  west, 
to  the  isolated  inhabitants  of  Northern  Greenland, 
called  Arctic  Highlands,  many  strange  and  ancieLt 
remains  were  discovered  in  various  sheltered  nooks 
and  corners  on  the  shore,  such  as  rude  houses,  cach^y 
hunting  posts,  and  graves,  n-hich  clearly  proved  that 
inhabitants  once  dwelt  in  this  sad  and  solitary  clime, 
who  have  now  either  become  exterminated,  or  have 
emigrated  to  some  more  genial  region. 

The  origin  of  this  people  seems  to  have  been  in  the 
north-eastern  extremity  of  Asia ;  for  on  the  banks  of 
the  Lena  and  the  Indigirka,  and  along  the  whole  extent 
of  the  frozen  Tundray  which  faces  the  Polar  Seas,  as 
well  as  in  New  Siberia,  the  same  species  of  circular 
stone  huts,  the  same  whalebone  rafters,  the  same  rude 
axes  made  of  stones,  and  the  same  primitive  imple- 
ments  of  the  chase,  ai'e  still  found  to  exist,  and  are 
Ofled  alike  by  the  Esquimaux  of  Hudson  Straits  and 


>U'-> 


LUUTJUAST  OBBOKn'b  EZPXDITKXV. 


487 


le 
)f 
it 


re 
d 


Greenland,  the  Innuit  of  North  America,  and  the 
Tchuktchos  of  Behrinff's  Straits.  It  is  probable,  there- 
fore, that  these  people  first  reached  the  American 
continent  from  the  east  of  Asia.  The  Tchuktches  are 
the  only  tribe  of  Siberia  who  have  maintained  their 
independence;  and  have  defied,  assisted  by  the  hor- 
rid riffors  of  nature,  the  overwhelming  power  of  llus- 
sia.  The  other  tribes  of  Siberia  narrate  how  one  of 
the  races  called  by  them  the  Omoki,  whose  homes 
were  as  numerous  on  the  banks  of  the  Lena  as 
the  stars  of  an  Arctic  night,  did  formally  remove 
to  unknown  regions;  supposed  by  them  to  be  in 
a  north-eastern  direction.  They  also  tell  of  an- 
other tribe,  termed  the  Oukillon,  who,  having  been 
attacked  by  the  Tchuktches,  took  shelter  in  a  dis- 
tant land  to  the  northward  from  Cape  Jakan.  This 
land  has  now  been  found  actually  to  exist  in  that 
direction. 

-  These  people  eventually  reached  the  shores  of  Da- 
vis' Straits  and  the  Atlantic  Ocean ;  and  some  of 
them  even  advanced  as  far  as  Lancaster  Sound,  along 
the  Parry  Group.  Compelled  bv  the  necessities  c? 
food,  and  attracted  by  the  products  of  fishing  and 
hunting,  they  eventually  reached  Behring's  Straits ; 
and  thus  this  unfortunate  race  extended  over  a  vast 
proportion  of  those  inhospitable  but  habitable  realms 
which  lie  nearest  to  the  role.  Among  the  proofs  of 
this  fact  furnished  by  the  researches  of  Captain  Os- 
born's  expedition,  may  be  mentioned  the  following : 
Ruins  of  the  description  already  mentioaed,  were 
found  between  Bathurst  and  Cornwallis  Laud,  on  the 
whole  southern  shore  of  Cornwallis  Island,  on  Capes 
Soencer  and  Riley,  on  Radstock  Bay,  Ommaney 
Harbor,  Cape  Warrender,  and  on  the  shores  of  Jones' 
Sound.  Formerly,  also,  many  Esquimaux  lived  even 
at  the  head  of  Ba^'s  B&y.  On  the  coast  northward 
of  Gape  York,  many  deserted  villages  and  dead 
bodies  have  been  found ;  clearly  indicating  the  ex- 
istence of  a  people  who  have  now  either  become  ex 


H 


I  1 


f^'A  ! 


M 


^1 


I    ' 


I,  x\  :*- 


^IffHM 


188 


PBOOBESS  or  ABOnO  DIBOOYEBT. 


tinct,  or  hftve  congregated  In  a  Icbs  rigorous  locality. 
All  these  tribes  and  races,  whatever  tliey  may  have 
been,  undoubtedly  belonged  to  the  general  Esquimaux 
family,  who  first  originated  iu  the  north-eastern  ex< 
tremity  of  Asia. 

Arotio  Skarohtno  Expedition  ;  a  Journal  of  a  Boat- 
voyage  THKOCOH    RurEKT's  LaND   AND  THE  ArOTIO 

Sea,  in  Search  of  Sir  John  Frankun,  by  Sir  John 
Richardson,  in  1851. 

The  commander  of  this  expedition  was  directed  bv 
the  British  admiralty  to  leave  England  in  a  mail- 
steamer  for  Halifax  and  New  York ;  and  from  the 
latter  place  to  proceed  to  Montreal,  in  order  to  confer 
with  Sir  George  Simpson,  governor  of  the  Hudson 
Bay  company's  settlements.  He  was  ordered  thence 
to  travel  oy  Lake  Huron  to  Saut  Ste.  Marie  and  Lake 
Superior,  and  there  embark  with  a  small  crew,  and 
sail  along  the  chain  of  lakes  until  he  overtook  Mr. 
Bell,  whom  it  was  supposed  he  would  lind  at  Isle  a 
la  Crosse. 

With  four  boats  well  adapted  to  this  service,  Si? 
John  Richardson  was  orderca  to  proceed  and  exam- 
ine the  extensive  i^orth  American  coast  between  the 
Mackenzie  and  Coppermine  Rivers.  Passing  the 
winter  at  Fort  Good  li  ope,  or  Confidence,  near  Great 
Bear  Lake,  he  was  dire  cted  in  the  following  spring  to 
resume  his  journey,  and  explore  the  passages  between 
Wollaston,  Banks  ,  and  Victoria  Lands,  so  as  to  cross 
the  routes  of  Sir  J.  C.  Ross'  detached  parties;  and 
thence  to  return  again  to  Great  Bear  Lake.  It  was 
hoped  that  this  comparatively  novel  and  untried  di- 
rection of  search,  might  probably  reveal  some  satis- 
factory indications  or  memorials  of  the  fate  and  situ- 
ation of  Sir  John  Franklin. 

The  length  of  this  interior  navigation  to  the  Arctic 
Sea  from  Montreal,  is  about  4,400  miles.  Sixteen 
hundred  of  these  are  performed  on  the  Mackenzie 


111 


0 

D 


BIS  JOHN  BIOnABDSON  8  BXPEDITION. 


489 


Kiver  and  its  tributaries.  Tlio  boats  employed  in  this 
expedition  measured  30  feet  in  length,  six  in  breadth, 
three  in  depth  ;  and  were  i)rovided  with  masts, .sails, 
•Mirs,  anchors,  and  tools;  and  eacli  weii^hod  half  a  ton. 
A  crew  of  live  men  was  deemed  suthcient  for  each. 
Among  the  seamen  selected  to  man  tl;  >  hci*8,  wore 
8a])por8,  miners,  carpenters,  blacksmiths,  rirmorors,  and 
enj'ineers.  These  fourboats  proi)erly pr,)vi8ionod, were 
embarked,  together  with  the  men  of  the  expedition, 
on  board  the  "  Piince  of  Wales  "  and  "Westmin- 
ster," bound  to  York  Factory,  one  of  the  posts  of  the 
Hudson  Bay  com[)any  ;  and  there  both  ships  eventu- 
ally arrived,  after  a  stormy  j)a88a^e,  with  the  boats 
and  their  respective  crews.  In  May,  1851,  Sir  John 
Richardson  and  iiis  cliief  associate,  Mr.  Rao,  loft  the 
house  of  Mr.  liuUenden,  at  Saut  Ste.  Marie,  near 
Lake  Superior,  and  entered  on  the  active  duties  of 
their  expedition. 

We  will  omit  some  details  of  their  travels,  as  long 
as  these  continue  through  those  intermediate  regions 
which  aro  not  directly  connected  with  tho  Arctic 
Zone;  and  which  throjv  but  little  light  upon  the  pe- 
culiarities of  that  remote  portion  of  tho  earth.  The 
expedition  pursued  its  cfesignated  route,  until  at 
length  they  entered  tlio  estuary  of  the  Mackenzie 
River.  At  four  o'clock  in  tho  morning  they  embarked, 
and  crossing  a  shallow  bar  at  tho  end  of  a  sand-bank, 
they  steered  between  Ricliards'  Island  and  the  main 
land.  They  soon  perceived  about  200  Esquimaux 
coming  toward  them  in  their  canoes,  and  three  umiaks 
tilled  with  women  and  children.  It  was  necessary 
to  beat  otf  these  intruders,  who  by  hanging  on  to  the 
sides  of  tho  boats  impeded  their  progress  ;  nor  were 
the  voyagers  certain  that  no  hostile  attack  was  in- 
tended by  these  half-starved  and  importunate  eeuii- 
savagos. 

As  soon  as  these  two  parties  in  the  several  boats 
came  in  contact^  a  buisy  scene  of  barter  began  to  be 
enacted.    The  Esquimaux  had  arrows,  bcws,  kniyef 


■M-i 


440 


pftooBEBs  OF  ARono  DreooTDir. 


of  copper,  or  of  bono,  ftnd  articles  of  that  doBcription 
to  floll ;  nnd  for  those  tlioy  received  in  return  knives, 
liles,  luitcheta,  nwls,  and  noodles  The  articlee  oh- 
taincd  by  tlie  oxplororB  were  indeed  of  little  service 
to  them ;  but  they  wishod  to  concilijite  the  Esqui- 
maux ;  and  inaaniuch  as  the  latter  cjonsidored  a  gill 
without  an  equivalent  accepted  in  return  as  an  insult, 
it  was  necessary  to  barter  with  them  in  order  to  fur- 
nish them  the  articles  wliich  they  desired.  The  En- 
ijlish  boats  wore  much  incommoded  by  the  crowds  of 
Esquimaux  who  were  disposed  to  hold  on  to  their 
sides,  and  it  became  necessary  to  use  violence  some- 
times to  conqiel  tiiom  to  roleaso  their  grasp.  At 
length  the  boat  commanded  by  Llouteiumt  Clark  wae 
attacked  by  the  Esciuinuiux  around  it.  An  attempt 
was  made  to  plunder  it.  A  struggle  ensued  between 
the  crew  of  six  men  and  the  assailants,  and  a  musket 
was  tired  by  Lieutenant  Chirk,  as  a  signal  to  his  as- 
sociates for  assistance.  The  other  boats  then  imme- 
diately wore  around,  and  came  to  the  protection  of 
the  assailed.  Muskets  were  presented,  and  an  attack 
threatened  by  the  English  sailors ;  the  effect  of  which 
demonstration  was,  to  induce  tlie  Esquimaux  at  once 
to  desist  from  all  further  aggressive  operations,  and 
resume  friendly  relations, 

Thus,  as  the  boats  }>ur8ued  tht  t  way,  they  were  ac« 
companied  by  the  Escpiimaux  canoes.  At  length  as 
they  began  to  lose  sight  of  tiie  laud  entirely,  me  Es- 
quimaux gradually  fell  behind  them,  and  returned  to 
tlieir  encampment  on  the  shore  of  the  estuary.  Dur- 
ing this  intercourse  between  the  voyagers  and  the  na- 
tives, the  inquiries  of  the  formea*  were  directed  to  ob- 
taining information  in  reference  to  the  discovery 
ships.  But  the  p.atives  uniformly  persisted  in  de- 
claring, that  they  knew  nothing  about  any  white  peo- 
ple, or  any  ships  on  their  coast.  They  all  denied  hav- 
ing  been  present  in  any  interviews  which  took  p\ace 
between  their  countrymen  and  the  navigators  of  those 
seas  in  previous  years.    One  person  alone,  in  answet 


BIB  JOHN  biobabdson'b  EZPIEDimnr. 


441 


le- 
|o- 

?e 


to  tJio  inqnirios  of  Captain  Richardson,  doclarol  that 
a  ])ftrty  of  wlnto  mon  wore  livinj;^'  on  a  neighboring 
inland,  callod  Iii(;har<l8'  IhImikI.  Hut  an  tho  expedi- 
tion had  viHitod  and  oxainiried  that  locality  but  a  day 
two  proviouHly,  his  aHRortioii  waw  known  to  bo  false, 
Captain  Kichardson  r(!([ueHfod  his  intorprotcr  to  in- 
form tho  EHfiuimaux  tliut  ho  had  rocontly  been  there, 
atid  know  that  ho  was  lviii|j;;  which  declaration  only 
callod  forth  a  hearty  laugh  from  tho  Estpiimaux, 
whoso  only  doflire  was,  by  a  fabricated  story,  to  in 
(luce  tho  expedition  to  sojourn  longer  in  tho  neigh- 
borhood, and  waste  its  time  in  fruitless  researches. 

These  Esquinuiux  are  a  singular  race,  and  one  of 
their  distinctive  peculiarities  is,  that  they  are  strictly 
a  littoral  people.  They  live  only  on  the  shore,  and 
they  iuhaoit  an  area  of  nearly  5,000  miles  of  sea- 
board. Their  habitations  extend  from  tho  Straits  of 
BoUo-isle  to  tho  Peninsula  of  Alaska.  Throughout  this 
vast  extent  of  region  there  is  no  material  variation  in 
their  dialect,  except  what  may  be  justly  termed  pro- 
vincialisms. An  interpreter  born  on  the  east  main  or 
western  shore  of  James'  Bay,  experienced  no  diffi- 
culty in  understanding  the  language  of  the  Esqui- 
maux of  the  estuary  ot  the  Mackenzie  ;  although  the 
distance  between  the  two  localities  was  at  least  2,600 
miles.  Traces  of  the  encampments  of  this  same  race 
have  been  discovered  as  far  north  on  the  American 
continent  as  the  foot  of  tho  boldest  adventurer  has 
trodden.  Their  capacity  to  endure  the  privations  of 
these  frozen  and  rugged  regions,  results  evideotlT 
from  their  disposition  to  subsist  on  blubber,  and  their 
long  practiced  ability  to  inhabit  houses  and  huts  con- 
structed of  ice  and  snow.  They  employ  drift-timbei 
whenever  it  is  accessible ;  but  they  can  do  without  it, 
and  can  Und  a  good  substitute  in  the  fabrication  of 
their  weapons,  hedges,  and  boat-frames,  in  the  teeth 
and  bones  of  whales,  morses,  and  other  sea-monsters. 
They  associate  together  in  large  numbers,  to  engage 
in  the  pursuit  of  the  whale ;  and  this  tact  indicates 


i 


fit. 


449 


PBOOBEBB  OF  ABGTIO  DIBOOTXBT. 


If.Vf 


the  poBsession  of  no  small  degree  of  natural  hardi- 
hooa  and  intelligence.  Those  of  the  Esquimaux  who 
have  been  received  into  the  service  of  the  Hudson 
Bay  company,  at  the  distant  fur-posts,  have  very  soon 
acquired  the  habits  of  their  white  associates,  and 
proved  eventually  to  be  more  industrious,  intelligent, 
and  trustworthy  than  domesticated  Indians.  Among 
themselves  a  great  deal  of  honesty  prevails  ;  and  the 
private  hunting-grounds  of  the  different  families  are 
secure  from  all  depredations  from  other  members  of 
the  nation.  But  their  dexterity  and  pertinacity  in 
thieving  the  property  of  strangers  are  very  remarka- 
ble. Iney  are  brave  in  their  conflicts,  and  are  devoid 
of  the  pusillanimity  of  the  Indians  of  the  southern 
zones.  All  their  peculiarities,  both  personal  and  na> 
tional,  serve  to  establish  the  position  advanced  in  the 
preceding  article  of  this  work,  that  the  various  Es- 
quimaux tribes  possess  one  and  the  same  origin,  and 
tnat  they  emanated  originally  from  the  north-eastern 
extremity  of  the  continent  of  Asia. 

As  soon  as  the  Esquimaux  canoes  had  disappeared 
from  view,  the  boats  were  steered  toward  the  opposite 
fihore,  at  a  spot  where  there  were  several  winter  hab- 
itations of  the  natives.  This  place  is  situated  about 
eight  miles  to  the  eastward  of  Point  Warren,  The 
buildings  are  placed  on  a  spot  where  the  water  is 
suiiiciently  deep  for  a  boat  to  come  close  to  the  beach ; 
so  that  the  natives  mav  be  able  to  tow  a  whale  or 
seal  to  the  place  where  they  intend  to  cut  it  up.  The 
houses  themselves  were  constructed  of  drift-timber, 
strongly  built  together,  and  covered  with  a  layer  of 
earth  from  one  to  two  feet  in  thickness.  Light  and 
air  are  admitted  through  a  small  low  door  at  one  ex- 
tremity ;  and  even  this  aperture  in  winter  is  closed 
by  a  slab  of  ice.  In  that  case  their  greasy  lamps  sup- 
ply them  to  some  extent  with  heat,  as  well  as  with 
light.  These  huts  are  large  enough  to  permit  ten  or 
twelve  people  to  seat  themselves  around  the  fire} 
built  in  the  center  on  the  ground.    In  winter  the  im* 


SB  JOHN  BIOHABD0ON  B  EXPEDITION. 


448 


perfect  admission  of  fresh  air,  and  the  efflnvia  ari- 
sing from  their  greasy  and  filthy  bodies,  render  Iheif 
abodes  not  only  disagreeable  in  the  extreme,  but  also 
exceedingly  unwholesome.  Yet  these  peculiarities 
characterize  the  whole  Esquimaux  tribes  throughout 
the  whole  extent  and  variety  of  their  diffusion. 

Having  resumed  their  route  on  the  4th  of  August, 
Captain  liichardson  pulled   for  three   hours  across 
Copland  Ilutchinsou  Inlet,  and  landed  at  length  on  its 
eastern  shore.     Tliis  inlet  is  about  10  miles  in  width, 
and  its  mouth  is  obstructed  by  sand  banks.     Having 
computed  their  position,  they  found  it  to  be  6D°  44:' 
north  latitude ;  and  the  variation  of  the  needle  was 
68°  east.    This  whole  coast  is  low,  tliough  in  the  in- 
land, some  sandy  cliffs  were  discovered.     The  soil 
was  soft,   boggy,  and   ti'eacherous,  and   the  whole 
country  was  covered  over  with  ponds  and  small  lakes. 
On  the   8th  of  August   the   expedition   reached 
Cape  Brown.    Here  tliey  came  in  contact  again  with 
the  Esquimaux.     Alter  the  usual  exchange  of  articles 
had  been  completed,  inquiries  were  made  in  refer- 
ence to  the  missing  ships.    The  Esquimaux  declared 
that  no  large  ships  had  ever  visited  that  coast ;  and 
that  these  were  the  only  white  men  whom  they  had 
ever  seen.     It  seems  that  Captain   liichardson  had 
visited  this  coast  twenty- three  years  before  on  a  com- 
mercial expedition ;  and  had  then  met  some  of  these 
same  people.      But  they  denied   having   the   least 
knowledge  or  recollection  of  him  or  of  iiis  associates. 
Captain   liichardson   crossed    liussel   luiet,   and 
passed  Cape  Brown.    They  then  reached  Cape  Dab 
housie  and  pitched  their  tent  upon  the  beach.    This 
island  and  the  cape  are  Hat ;  but  toward  the  sea  there 
ai'e  steep  cliffs  4^^  and  50  feet  in  height.   There  are  also 
deep  ravines  in  the  interior,  produced  by  the  melting 
of  the  snows  in  the   beginning  of  summer.     From 
this  point  the  boats  steered  across  Liverpool  Bay, 
and  approached  Nicholson  Island.    They  tiien  landed 
and  encamped  off  Cape  Maitland.    The  surface  of 


444 


raooBEss  or  Ascno  DXBOomT. 


■  11 


m 


i; 


this  cape  is  level,  but  its  shores  are  girt  with  rugged 
clifFs  oO  feet  in  height.  A  frozen  surface  is  con- 
stantly exposed  to  view,  and  permanent  ground-ice  is 
everywhere  to  be  found,  twenty  inches  ooneath  the 
surface  of  the  soil.  Vegetation  is  very  meager  and 
scanty. 

From  this  point  the  expedition  proceeded  to  Ilar- 
rowby  Bay,  and  Baillie's  Islands.    They  landed  at 
the  latter  place  at  evening,  and  pitched  their  tent  to 
pass  the  ni^ht  in  repose.    They  soon  discovered  a 
large  fleet  ot  Esquimaux  canoes  approaching  in  the 
form  of  a  crescent,  in  the  dim  twilight.    The  object 
of  the  natives  was  to  trade ;  but  as  Captain  Richard- 
son wished  his  men  to  have  an  opportunity  to  repose 
during  the  night,  he  ordered  a  ball  to  be  fired  across 
the  path  of  the  canoes.    This  immediately  stopped 
their  further  progress ;  and  an  interpreter  then  in 
formed  the  Esquimaux  that  there  would  be  no  barter- 
ing that  night,  but  that  if  they  would  return  in  the 
morning  their  wishes  should  be  gratified.     After  a 
short  consultation  the  Esquimaux  seemed  to  be  satis- 
tied  with  this  arrangement   and  retired.     At  two 
o'clock  the  next  moruing  the   expedition  resumed 
their  journey,  and  soon  met  the  approaching  Esqui- 
maux.    From  them  they  ascertained  that  their  sum- 
mer season  here  continues  only  during  two  months, 
of  which  this  (August)  was  one  ;  that  during  this  pe- 
riod they  have  no  ice  whatever ;  and  that  they  car- 
ried on  their  black-whale  fishing.     The  extent  ol  their 
operations  usually  consists  in   the  capture  of  two 
whales  during  the  whole  summer — sometimes,  though 
rarely,  they  obtain  three.    Sometimes  they  are  alto- 
gether unsuccessful  and  secure  none.    In  that  caae  the 
succeeding  winter  generally  proves  to  be  one  of  great 
want  and  hardship).     Their  ignorance  of  the  rest  of  the 
world  may  be  interred  from  the  following  incident : 
One  of  them  asserted  to  Captain  Richardson  that 
Cape  Bathurst  was  an  island.    When  the  latter  denied 
this  assertion,  the  Esquimaux  responded  with  great 


KB  JOBS  HI0HABIW01f*B  BZPKDTnOH. 


445 


sincoritv,  "Arc  not  all  lands  islands?"  At  this 
point  Captain  Kicliardson  buried  some  pommican 
and  erected  a  8i«nial-pOot.  A  hole  was  dug  on 
the  top  of  the  clin,  in  which  a  case  of  pommican 
was  deposited,  with  a  meinoranduin  explaining  the 
purposes  of  the  expedition.  The  utmost  care  was 
usea  in  replacing  the  turf  so  as  to  avoid  detection  ; 
some  drift  timber  was  then  placed  on  the  spot  and 
burned ;  and  a  pole  painted  red  and  white  was  planted 
at  a  distance  of  10  feet.  To  induce  the  Esquimaux 
not  to  disturb  the  post,  some  articles  of  value  were 
suspended  upon  it.  Soon  several  Esquimaux  were 
seen  running  toward  the  polo  ;  they  quickly  strii^ped 
it  of  its  hangings;  but  did  not  disturb  the  signal 
itself. 

From  this  point  the  expedition  proceeded  to  the 
south-cast  of  Cape  Bathurst,  along  the  shore,  which 
sometimes  rose  to  the  height  of  250  feet.  At  Point 
Trail,  in  north  latitude  70°  11)',  the  bituminous  shale 
had  been  ignited  and  burned  ;  and  the  bank  hed 
crumbled  down  from  the  destruction  of  the  beds,  pre- 
senting a  most  singular  appearance. 

August  the  11  tn  the  expedition  continued  their 
route  along  the  coast,  and  at  length  reached  Point 
Stivens,  and  on  the  13th  landed  on  the  shores  of  Sell- 
wood  Bay.  Their  next  sojourn  was  on  one  of  the 
western  points  which  terminate  Capo  Parry.  This 
portion  of  the  cape  presents  a  singular  aspect  when 
jipproachin^  it  from  the  sea.  It  is  an  eminence  500 
feet  in  height,  which  far  surmounts  all  the  surround*  . 
ing  region.  In  the  neighborhood  ot  this  spot,  at 
Cocked-Ilat  Point,  a  letter  was  deposited  with  a  case 
of  pommican;  over  which  were  placed  fragments  of 
limestones,  covered  with  red  paint.  It  was  hero  that 
tke  members  of  this  expedition  first  saw  the  drift- 
ice.  They  sailed  on  past  Clapperton  Island,  Point 
Pearce,  and  Point  Keats.  The  tirst  indications  of  the 
approach  of  winter  now  began  to  force  themselvea 
upon  their  notice :  for  the  sea  beciuue  covered  with 
8 


'm 


1,1 1 


rBOOBESS  OF  ABOnO  DIBOOTEKl. 

* 

tih\n  ice,  which  sometimes  very  essentially  impeded 
their  progress.  At  Cape  Parry  they  still  saw  traces 
of  the  Esquimaux ;  they  had  the  first  severe  frost 
during  the  night ;  and  the  ice  already  exceeded  an 
inch  in  thickness. 

On  the  12th  of  Septemher  the  expedition  nearly 
reached  Cape  Kendall.  It  had  progressed  thus  far 
along  the  north-western  coast  of  the  North  American 
contment,  without  meeting  any  traces  of  Sir  John 
Franklin.  At  this  joint  the  sea  became  so  obstructed 
with  ice  that  it  was  impossible  to  pursue  the  jour- 
ney along  the  sea-shore,  although  they  were  still  tit 
some  considerable  distance  from  the  Coppermine 
River,  the  appointed  boundary  of  their  travels.  Cap- 
tain Richardson,  determined  to  continue  the  journey 
by  land.  The  company  provided  themselves  with 
thirteen  day's  provisions  of  pemmican,  with  cooking 
utensils,  bedding,  snow-shoes,  >  astronomical  instru- 
ments, fowling-pieces,  ammunition,  and  portable  boat, 
nets,  and  lines.  Each  man  was  compelled  to  carry  a 
load  of  sixty-iive  pounds.  The  boats  of  the  expedi- 
tion were  left  beliind  on  the  shore,  and  the  tent  with 
a  few  cooking  articles  and  hatchets,  were  abandoned 
to  the  Esquimaux. 

On  the  3d  of  September  at  six  o'clock  in  the  morn- 
ing tlie  journey  commenced.  They  pureued  a  direct 
course  toward  the  bottom  of  Jiack's  Inlet.  The  snow 
was  deep,  and  advance  was  laborious  and  difficult. 
So  heavy  was  the  way  that  most  of  the  men  were  will- 
ing to  leave  behind  them  their  carbines.  At  night 
they  halted  under  a  basalt  cliff  200  feet  in  height. 
The  sea  was.  here  full  of  ice.  They  still  occasionally 
met  Esquimaux,  whoso  services  they  employed  in  fer- 
rying them  over  the  numerous  inlets  which  interrupt- 
ed their  way  along  the  coast.  Amoug  the  Esquimaux 
whom  Captain  Richardson  met,  were  two  who  are 
meutionca  by  Mr.  Simpson.  One  of  these  was  res- 
ogui;Kcd  by  a  large  wen  which  marked  his  forehead ; 
and  the  other  by  his  being  crippled,  and  uiing  crutches. 


*5 


JOflZr  KIQflABTSON^B  EZIBDRXOK. 


UJ 


laux 
are 
rec- 
ad; 
lea 


They  had  been  very  kindly  treated  bj  Messrs.  Dease 
and  Simpson ;  and  thoy  were  therefore  disposed  to 
be  frienaly,  together  with  their  whole  tribe,  toward 
the  white  people.  The  travelers  bought  skin-boo/ta 
from  them,  which  proved  of  very  groat  sorvioo. 
Captain  Richardi^on  permitted  none  of  his  men  to 
enter  their  huts,  or  to  offer  any  indignity  to  these 
harmless  and  forlorn  beings.  lie  himself  visited  one 
of  their  cabins,  both  for  the  pui'poso  of  obtaining  a 
glimpse  of  their  household  appearance,  and  to  pre- 
sent some  needles  and  other  articles  to  their  women. 
He  found  in  one  hut  six  or  seven  females  sewing, 
seated  in  a  circle.  They  were  nearly  nuked,  and  ver^ 
dirty.  On  his  entrance  they  seemed  both  ashamed 
and  afraid.  Captain  Richardson  shrewdly  conjec- 
tured that,  as  these  people  had  heard  of  the  approach 
of  the  strangers,  they  had  purposely  rendered  them- 
selves as  repulsive  as  possible,  by  rubbing  mud  and 
ashes  on  their  faces  and  persons.    They  received  his 

fjreseuts  in  a  friendly  maniibi  ;  but  seemed  quite  re- 
ieved  when  the  hardy  old  mariner  took  his  leave. 
This  is  a  singular  circumstance,  as  illustrating  how,  in 
every  clime  and  country  under  heaven,  men's  pas- 
sions, their  fears,  and  their  t.rtilices  are  uniformly 
and  invariably  the  same  I 

At  length  the  travelers  aii'ivcd  on  the  shores  of 
Richardson's  River.  This  river  was  discovered  in 
1822,  by  some  hunters  of  Sir  John  Franklin's  party, 
and  its  outlet  was  then  erroneously  supposed  to  be 
only  live  miles  west  of  the  Coppermine.  In  1839 
Mr.  Simpson  expl  >red  this  river,  and  ascertained  tluit 
it  falls  into  Back's  Inlet  in  north  latitude  GT°  53'  67". 
Having  crossed  this  river  iu  a  small  boat  of  Lieuten- 
ant Halkett,  which"  could  carry  but  two  persons  at 
once,  thoy  resumed  their  march.  In  a  short  time 
they  gained  the  summit  of  the  ridge  which  divided 
the  valley  of  the  Richardson  from  that  of  the  Copper- 
mine River.  This  ridge  was  now  covered  with  snow, 
From  its  summit  they  saw  iu  the  distance  the  Cop- 


Vm 


^ 


1"^! 


W 


:iv 


f--    Ml 


mw 


It48 


ntooBBM  or  memo  DnoofisT, 


Pennine ;  and  at  three  o'clock  in  tho  aflernoon  tbej 
reached  its  banks,  several  miles  above  Bloody  Fall- 
On  the  10th  of  September  the  company  struck  the 
Kendal  River,  at  some  distance  from  its  i unction 
with  the  Coppermine.  They  walked  nearly  three 
miles  along  its  bunks,  seeking  for  a  crossing  place. 
No  such  spot  beinff  found,  they  were  compelled  to 
construct  a  raft,  and  thus  transport  themselves  over. 
This  raft  could  boar  but  three  persons  at  a  time ;  nev- 
ertheless all  of  them  passed  over  in  safety.  From 
this  point  they  travolea  directly  across  the  country  to- 
ward Dease  lliver.  Somesnow  tell  both  during  the  day, 
and  also  during  tlie  succeeding  night.  On  the  12th 
they  reached  a  tributary  streiim  of  the  Kendal  River, 
ana  forded  it ;  the  ice-cold  water  rising  up  to  their 
vvaists.  On  the  14th  the  march  took  a  soutii-western 
direction.  They  found  the  soil  cracked,  hummocky, 
and  swampy ;  and  it  became  exceedingly  wearisome 
and  difficult  for  pedestrians.  On  the  15th  they 
crossed  a  branch  of  the  River  Dease  by  fording  it ; 
and  at  four  o'clock  in  the  afternoon  the  whole  party 
reached  Fort  Coulidence,  the  present  appoiutea  ter- 
mination of  their  journey,  and  their  quarters  for  the 
ensuing  winter. 

It  is  proper  that  we  should  here  interrupt  the  nar- 
rative of  Captain  Richardson's  expedition  in  search 
of  Sir  John  Franklin,  by  detailing  some  of  the  infor- 
mation which  he  obtained  in  reference  to  the  Esqui- 
maux race — one  of  the  most  interesting  and  impor- 
tant items  of  Arctic  observation  and  scrutiny.  We 
have  ah'eady  given  a  few  details  on  this  subject  on  a 
previous  page  ;  and  tho  additional  light  thrown  upon 
it  by  the  researches  of  Captain  Richardson,  are  both 
valuable  and  entertaiuiug.  The  views  presented  by 
Captain  R.  of  this  widely  diii'used  people,  are,  as  will 
be  seen,  those  which  describe  them  as  they  exist  on 
the  northern  coast  of  the  American  continent — being 
quite  a  different  locality  trow  that  depicted  by  Cap- 
tain Oftbora 


V 


im*mm^MlMt*miv 


■IB  JOHN  ESOHARDSON'S  EXnEDITIOW. 


449 


on 
H 


V 


The  term  Esqnimanx  is  probably  deriyed  from  the 
words,  Ceux  qui  rrda/ux  /  or  it  may  have  originated 
from  theehoutB  of  Teymd  vhich  the  natives  uttered, 
when  they  surrounded  the  first  exploring  ships  in  their 
canoes.  The  sailors  of  the  Hudson  Bav  company's 
vessels  still  call  them  Seymda.  The  word  Eisquimaux 
does  not  belong  to  the  language  of  the  nation.  These 
invariably  call  themselves  Invrit^  the  people^  from 
I-nuhy  a  mom. 

One  peculiarity  of  this  race  is  that  they  alone,  of 
all  the  aboriginal  races,  are  known  to  inhabit  portions 
of  both  the  old  and  the  new  continents.    Their  lan- 
guage and  their  customs,  in  consequence  of  the  pe- 
culiarity of  their  position,  have  also  remained  strange- 
ly unaltered  by  any  contact  or  collision  with  the  rest 
of  the  world.    They  confine  themselves  to  the  shores ; 
and  neither  wander  inla,ad,  nor  cross  extensive  seas. 
They  extend  along  the  whole  northern  boundary  of- 
America,  from  Beliring's  Straits  to  the  Straits  of  l3ell- 
isle,  and  along  both  sliores  of  Greenland  and  Lab- 
rador.   Their  appearance  is  singular.    Their  faces 
are  egg-shaped,  with  considerable  prominence  in  the 
cheek  bones.    Their  foreheads  are  narrow  and  taper 
upwards.     Their  chins   are  conical  but  not  acute. 
Generally  their  noses  are  broad  and  depressed.    Their 
profiles,  in  consequence  of  the  receding  both  of  the 
forehead  and  the  chin,  present  a  more  curved  outline 
than  is  found  in  any  other  variety  of  the  Caucasian 
race.    Their  complexions  are  not  red,  but  of  an  iuter- 
mediate  hue  between  red  and  white.     They  have  lit- 
tle or  no  beards ;  but  the  hair  of  the  head  is  long, 
BtraiKht,  thick,  and  coarse.     The  men  are  of  medium 
size,  oroad-shouldered,  and  muscular.     In  both  sexes 
the  hands  and  feet  are  small  uud  well  formed.    The 
teeth,  especially  of  the  young  girls,  are  generally  of 
superior  regularity  and  beauty. 

The  chief  subsistence  of  this  extensive  race  depends 
apou  hunting  and  fishing.  In  the  spring  the  opening 
nvers  give  tuem  the  opportunity  to  spear  luid  capturt 


/• 


\ 


450 


PBOOKISS  OT  ABOnO  DISOOTEBT. 


ai 


hw    1 


f^ 


the  fish  which  at  that  period  ascend  the  streams  to 
spawn.  Then  also  they  hunt  the  reindeer,  which 
bring  forth  their  young  on  the  coasts  and  islands  he- 
fore  the  snow  is  entirely  melted  on  the  ground. 
Tliey  also  take  a  large  quantity  of  swans,  geese,  and 
duCKS.  The  months  of  July  and  August  are  em- 
ployed in  the  capture  of  whales  ;  and  when  they  are 
successful  in  this,  their  own  sustenance  for  the  ensu- 
ing year  is  secured.  During  the  two  summer  months 
they  live  in  tents  made  of  sldn^,and  then  they  provide 
their  stores  of  food  for  winter  use.  Atsmid- winter  they 
are  usually  in.  total  darkness.  At  that  period  they 
live  in  houses  framed  of  drift  timber,  which  are 
thickly  covered  with  earth.  They  have  no  windows 
in  their  dwellings,  and  they  enter  by  a  low  trap  door 
inserted  either  on  the  side,  or  in  the  roofs.  The  floor 
is  covered  with  rude  timber,  and  they  have  no  fire- 
place. A  large  flat  stone  is  placed  in  the  center  which 
supports  a  lamp,  by  the  flame  of  which  they  often  cook. 
The  Esquimaux  hunter  can  trap  the  seal,  notwith 
standing  the  great  acuteness  and  vigilance  of  that  an 
imal ;  and  his  plunder  also  serves  to  assist  in  sustain- 
ing Esquimaux  life  in  the  spring  months. 

The  summer  architecture  of  this  race  is  peculiar. 
By  that  period  of  the  vear,  the  snow  has  acquired  a 
sufficient  degree  of  coherence  to  form  a  light  build- 
ing material ;  and  of  this  material  the  Esquimaux 
erect  comfortable  huts  which  are  dome-shaped,  and 
are  often  used  in  preference  to  their  tents.  Ihey  first 
ti'ace  a  circle  on  the  smooth  surface  of  the  snow. 
The  sides  are  built  of  slabs  of  ice  instead  of  brick  Oi 
granite.  The  summit  is  composed  of  similar  slabs 
and  the  floor  is  laid  with  the  same  material  Eacl 
slab  in  the  building  is  carefully  fitted  to  its  place, 
where  it  becomes  congealed  and  frozen  into  the  solid 
mass.  All  the  crevices  are  plugged  up,  and  the 
seams  carefuUv  closed,  by  throwing  loos©  snow  over 
the  fabric.  The  walls  are  only  three  or  four  inches 
in  thickness,  and  therefore  nearly  translucent ;  so 


KB  JOHZr  BIOHASDBON'S  EXFEDITIOV. 


4M 


Chat  they  admit  an  agi'eoable  light  to  the  interior 
from  without.  All  the  furniture,  consisting  of  seats, 
tables,  and  sleeping  places,  are  formed  of  snow,  and 
are  covered  with  rein-deer  or  seal  skins,  which  ren- 
der them  quite  comfortable.  Often  these  houses 
are  built  contiguous  to  each  other,  with  low  galleries 
running  between  them.  These  houses  are  durable, 
and  the  sun  rarely  acquires  sufficient  strength  in  that 
clime  either  to  thaw  or  to  destroy  them. 

The  Esquimaux  who  live  on  the  estuary  of  the 
Mackenzie  river,  carry  on  a  traffic  with  the  western 
Esquimaux  from  the  region  of  Point  Barrow  and 
Behring*8  Straits,  whom  they  meet  half-way  between 
their  respective  homes  on  the  coast.  The  central 
Esquimaux  have  but  little  traffic  with  the  Europeans, 
and  articles  of  Russian  manufacture  are  never  or 
rarely  seen  further  east  than  Point  Atkinson.  Those 
wlio  live  between  Behring's  Straits  and  the  Mac- 
kenzie pierce  the  lower  lip  near  the  angle  of  the 
mouth,  and  till  the  aperture  with  labrets  resembling 
buttons,  sometimes  made  of  blue  quartz,  and  some- 
times of  ivory.  Many  of  them  transfix  the  septum 
of  the  nose  with  an  ivory  needle.  The  women  are 
generally  tattooed  on  the  chin ;  and  turnup  and  plait 
their  hair  carefully,  and  are  not  devoid  of  pride  in 
their  personal  appearance.  From  this  circumstance 
northern  navigators  justly  infer  that  more  deference 
is  paid  to  them  by  the  men,  than  usually  prevails 
among  semi-barbarous  tribes.  It  is  said  by  Captain 
Richardson,  that  the  unmarried  women  among  the 
Esquimaux  are  modest  and  decorous  in  their  deport- 
ment; but  that  the  married  ones  allow  themselves 
very  considerable  liberties,  and  that,  too,  with  the  con- 
nivance of  their  husbands.  Yet  this  reserve,  even 
among  the  unmarried  Esquimaux  women,  does  not 
exist  among  the  tribes  located  on  the  northern  coast 
of  Greenland.  There  both  young  and  old  indicated 
their  vicious  laxity  to  the  navigators  by  signs  and 
gestures  of  the  most  indelicate  and  unequivocal  na 


..  I 


5       k^ 


I**'  »         '        t  I 


lii^i  I 


ilu' 


453 


FKOGBESS  OF  ABailO  DISOOYEBT. 


tare,  and  more  than  once,  wives  have  been  known  to 
be  offered  to  the  strangers  by  their  husbands  them- 
selves, plainly  and  without  disguise,  while  the  wo- 
man herself  stood  by,  and  freely  acquiesced  in  her 
proposed  prostitution. 

The  Esquimaux  like  most  barbarians  are  excellent 
mimics.     They  possess  the  power  of  imitating  the 

festures  and  voices  of  others  with  great  ability, 
hey  also  display  extraordinary  powers  of  grimace 
and  coutortiou,  and  could  exhibit  themselves  in  the 
most  singular  positions  and  attitudes.  The  dress  of 
both  sexes  is  very  nearly  alike,  and  consists  of  a  coat 
with  a  pointed  skirt  both  before  and  behind ;  pantaloons 
or  leggings  which  extend  to  the  waist ;  and  long 
boots  made  of  seal  skin,  and  water  tight,  resembling 
moccasins.  They  have  acquired  considerable  skill 
in  the  preparation  of  whale,  seal,  and  deer  skins. 
These  they  use  for  various  purposes,  some  as  thongs 
and  lines  in  the  capture  of  sea-beasts,  some  as  bar- 
ness  for  thei?  dog-sledges,  and  some  as  soles  for  their 
moccasins,  which  are  thus  rendered  water-proof. 
They  have  also  invented  a  light  water-proof  outer 
dress,  formed  from  the  intestines  of  the  wliale,  which 
they  secure  around  the  top  of  their  small  canoes, 
and  which  protects  them  fi'om  the  waves  of  the  sea. 
They  acquire  extraordinary  skill  in  the  management 
of  their  canoes  or  kaiyaks,  and  possesi  the  hardihood 
of  fearless  seamen.  Their  dogs  and  reindeer  consti- 
tute their  chief  wealth,  and  are  in  fact  quite  indispen- 
sable to  their  existence  and  comfort. 

The  religion  of  the  great  Esquimaux  race  is  a  sin- 
gular  subject  of  inquiry,  and  yet  one  which  furnishes 
only  the  most  unsatisfactory  results.  Their  religious 
conceptions  are  simple  and  crude  in  the  extreme. 
There  is  but  little  to  know  of  them  on  this  point ;  and 
that  little  is  not  to  their  credit.  The  most  prominent 
idea  in  their  religion  is  the  belief  in  witchcraft,  and 
in  the  agency  of  evil  spirits.  They  worship  demons 
much  more  devoutly  than  they  worship  God.     Cer 


hb  johh  biohabdbon*8  expedition. 


458 


tain  individuals  among  them  profess  to  possess  a 
great  influence  over  evil  spirits.  They  believe  that 
persons  are  killed  by  sorcery ;  that  they  are  and  may 
become  the  messengers  and  servants  of  the  devil ; 
that  sorcerers  may  clian^a  the  appearance  of  indi- 
viduals who  are  under  their  spell ;  and  accordingly, 
sorcerers  are  themselves  a  powerful  class  among 
them. 

Yet  the  Esquimaux  have  often  become  willing  and 
docile  converts  to  the  christian  faith,  as  taught  them 
by  the  Moravian  missionaries  in  Labrador  and  Green- 
land. They  have  readily  acquired  the  art  of  reading 
and  writing,  and  displayed  no  inconsiderable  apti- 
tude for  the  acquisition  of  knowledge.  The  language 
of  the  Esquimaux  is  admitted  by  the  most  learned 
philologists  to  be  similar  in  its  structure  to  the  rest 
of  the  North  American  tongues.  There  seems  to  be 
a  singular  inconsistency  between  the  comprehensivo* 
ness  and  artificial  structure  of  the  language,  and  its 
resemblance  to  that  of  neighboring  Indian  tribes,  and 
the  isolation  of  the  people  themselves.  Their  lan- 
guage does  not  materially  vary  along  the  whole  im- 
mense extent  of  country  over  which  their  race  is 
diflused ;  thus  furnishing  another  evidence  of  the 
identity  and  unity  of  this  primitive  and  singular 
people. 

1  et  the  Esquimaux  are  divided  into  several  tribes 
according  to  their  different  locations.  Tliose  on  the 
southern  portion  of  King  William's  JSound,  are  called 
the  2'chugatschih }  and  they  are  located  between 
Behring's  Straits  and  Bristol  Bay.  Further  to  the 
north  the  Kuskatchewak  reside  between  the  island 
Nuniwak  and  Cape  Newenham.  These  are  neither 
nomadic  nor  given  to  the  chase ;  but  dwell  in  per- 
manent villages,  and  have  a  strong  attachment  to 
their  ancestral  homes.  In  each  of  these  villages  there 
is  a  public  building  termed  the  Kashim^  where  coun- 
cils and  festivals  a^^e  held.  It  has  raised  platforms 
ground  the  wall?  with  a  place  in  the  center  for  tht 


m,y\  I 


404 


PBOOBESS  OF  ABOnO  DISCOYEBT. 


fire,  and  an  aperture  in  the  roof  for  the  escape  of  the 
smoke  and  the  admission  of  light. 

The  Tchukche  tribe  who  inhabit  the  shores  of  the 
Gulf  of  Anadyn,  seem  once  to  have  had  possession  of 
the  coast  of  Asia,  as  far  westward  as  the  one  hundred 
and  sixtieth  parallel.  They  are  divided  in  the  Sed. 
entary,  and  the  Reindeer  Tchukche.  These  are  both 
strong  and  powerful  races,  and  very  much  resemble 
in  their  appearance  the  North  American  Indians. 
The  encroachments  of  the  Russians  and  Cossacks 
have  driven  them  back  beyond  the  Kolyma,  into  the 
north-eastern  corner  of  Asia ;  but  there  they  have  re- 
mained free  and  unsubdued  by  their  more  powerful 
assailants.  This  tribe  has  domesticated  both  the  dog 
and  the  reindeer,  of  which  they  possess  numerous 
herds.  They  are  skillful  traders  in  furs  and  walrus' 
teeth,  which  they  exchange  for  tobacco,  articles  of 
iron,  hardware,  and  trinkets.  They  frequently  travel 
on  their  sledges  drawn  by  reindeer,  accompanied  by 
their  women  and  children,  their  arms,  tents,  and 
household  goods.  Their  yearly  journeys  continue  for 
six  months,  for  they  make  circuitous  routes  in  pursuit 
of  pasture  and  traae.  Previous  to  the  establishment 
of  the  Russian  Fur  company,  these  people  yearly 
traveled  for  these  purposes  over  an  extent  of  seven- 
teen hundred  miles  of  North  American  coast. 

Another  tribe  of  the  Esquimaux  are  called  the 
K^utchins,  who  live  westward  between  the  Macken- 
ne  and  Behring's  Sea.  The  males  possess  the  aver- 
se height  of  Europeans,  are  well  formed,  with  reg- 
ular features,  high  foreheads,  and  light  complexions. 
Che  women  resemble  the  men ;  and  Captain  Richard- 
»on  speaks  of  the  wife  of  one  of  the  chiefs  as  being 
80  handsome,  that  in  any  country  she  would  bo  con- 
sidered a  fine  looking  woman.  The  women  have 
\heir  chins  tattooed,  and  the  men  paint  their  faces 
^oth  red  and  black.  Their  arms  consist  of  a  bow  and 
Arrow,  a  dagger,  knife,  and  spear.  Fire-arms  have 
iatdly  been  mtrodaced  among  them,  and  are  very 


•IB  JOHN  RIOHABDSON'8  EZFEDmOV. 


455 


mncli  prized.  Where  a  man  has  not  been  able  to  ob- 
tain a  gnn,  ho  always  carries  with  him  a  supply  of 
powder  and  shot,  and  for  these  ho  obtains  a  Bliare  of 
the  game  killed  by  the  possessors  of  a  gnn  or  rifle. 
This  singular  expedient  exists  very  extensively  among 
the  E8(piimanx  tribes. 

Tlie  chief  mjjn  among  the  Kntchins  practice  polyg^ 
amy,  and  have  two  or  three  wives,  and  some  even 
tive.     Very  poor  men  who  cannot  support  a  wife  re 
main  single.     But  it  is  said  that  a  ffood  wrestlei, 
whether  poor  or  rich,  can  always  obtain  a  wife.    In 
winter  the  women  perform  all  the  drudgery  about 
the  house.     Tiiey  collect  the  firewood,  assist  the  dogs 
in  hauling  the  sledges,  and  bring  snow  to  melt  for 
water.     They  do  everything,  in  fact,  except  cooking, 
and  that  is  attended  to  by  the  men  alone.    The  wo- 
men carry  their  infants,  like  the  rest  of  the  Esqui- 
maux, on  their  backs  in  seats  made  from  birch  bark, 
with  the  sides  and  back  resembling  those  of  an  arm- 
chair.   They  even  bandage  the  feet  of  their  children 
to  prevent  them  from  erowing,  inasmuch  as  small 
feet  are  considered  handsome.    This  custom  resem- 
bles that  of  the  Chinese,  except  that  it  is  not  confined 
to  the  females.    The  Kutchins  are  a  lively  and  cheer- 
ful people.    Dancing  and  singing  are  their  chief 
amusements ;  wrestling  and  all  kinds  of  athletic  di- 
versions are  in  fashion  among  them.    Their  religion 
also  consists  chiefly  in  the  belief  in  sorcery  and  evil 
spirits,  whom  they  endeavor  to  propitiate  through 
their  shamans,  who  profess  to  be  able  to  communicate 
with  the  unseen  world,  and  to  possess  the  power  of 
prophesying  future  events.     When  any  one  of  their 
tribe  dies  suddenly,  or  unexpectedly,  the  event  is  al- 
ways attributed  to  sorcery  ;  and  some  evil  spell  is 
charged  against  either  a  member  of  their  own  tribe  or 
of  some  neigboring  one.    Then  blood-money  is  imme- 
diately demanded,  and  if  it  be  refused,  they  do  not 
rest  until  an  opportunity  is  found  to  avenge  the  sup- 
posed murder  by  a  )me  retributive  deed  of  violence 


459 


PB00RBB8  OT  ABOHO  DISOOTERT. 


!  'i 


and  death.  An  inatanco  iB  narrated  in  wliich  blood 
money  was  demanded  and  received  for  Boveral  years, 
for  the  supposed  death  of  a  relative  who  was  after- 
ward discovered  to  be  still  alive.  When  demand  was 
again  made  the  ensuing  year  for  the  usual  payment, 
three  of  the  party  makmg  it  were  slain  in  expiation 
of  their  falsehood  and  extortion. 

These  Kutchins  are  treacherous  and  warlike ;  and 
generally  engaged  in  hostilities  with  the  surrounding 
tribes.  One  half  of  the  population  of  the  Yukon 
has  thus  been  destroyed  during  the  last  twenty-live 
tears.  They  pass  the  summer  months  chiefly  in  dry- 
ing the  white-iish  for  winter  use.  Their  wealth  con- 
sists partly  in  beads ;  and  to  become  a  chief  among 
the  Kutchins,  a  man  must  have  beads  equal  in  value 
to  the  amount  of  two  hundred  beavers.  In  summer 
when  they  are  traveling  they  rarely  '  "cct  their  tents. 
In  winter  their  encampments  are  Uhiially  placed  in 
groves  of  fir  trees,  where  they  either  live  in  huts  or 
in  their  winter  tents  constructed  of  skins  with  the  hair 
unremoved. 

The  process  of  courtship  among  these  people  is 
very  simple  indeed.  The  lover  goes  early  in  the 
morning  to  the  abode  of  the  object  of  his  passion, 
and  without  saying  anything,  begins  to  bring  in  wa- 
ter ;  to  heat  the  stones  which  are  used  to  create  steam 
for  their  bath;  and  to  prepare  food.  The  inmates 
then  ask  him  who  he  is,  and  why  he  does  this.  He 
states  that  he  wishes  to  obtain  the  daughter  of  the 
man  who  dwells  there  as  his  wife.  If  he  is  not  re- 
fused, he  remains  as  a  servant  in  the  family  for  a 
year,  and  at  the  termination  of  that  probationary  pe- 
riod he  receives  both  a  reward  for  his  services  and  his 
bride  into  the  bargain.  No  ceremony  of  marriage 
takes  place  between  them.  When  a  man  dies,  he  is 
mourned  by  his  whole  clan.  Slavery  exists  among 
them  to  some  extent ;  and  those  who  are  in  bondage, 
are  prisoners  taken  captive  in  war,  who  are  often  sold 
and  re-flold  by  different  owners,  unless  the/  are  re 


IXB  JOHN  RICUABDSOm's  BXrEDITIOir. 


457 


deemed  by  their  own  relatives.  These  slayes  hav« 
been  known  to  bo  Bomotiines  sacrificed  as  victims  to 
tlio  shades  of  their  departed  warriors  and  lieroes. 
Tliey  also  possess  the  art  of  manufacturing  various 
articles  of  iron  ware  ;  an  accomplishment  which  they 
probably  derived  at  an  early  period,  from  their  inter- 
course with  Russian  traders. 

The  winter  having  at  length  passed  away,  the  trav- 
elers who  composed  Sir  Jolin  liichardson's  company 
at  Fort  Confidence,  prepared  in  the  ensuing  spring  to 
resume  their  operations.  It  vet  remained  their  duty  to 
reach  Wollaston  and  Victoria  Lands,  and  thus  to  com- 
plete the  search  in  that  direction.  In  consequence  of 
the  forced  desertion  and  loss  of  the  boats  of  the  expe- 
dition as  previously  narrated,  it  would  have  beem  im- 
practicable for  the  whole  party  to  accompany  those 
who  performed  this  journey ;  nor  was  tuis  in  fact 
necessary  ;  and  Mr.  Rae,  the  younger  and  more  ro- 
bust associate  of  Captain  liichardson,  was  selected  to 
pc  form  the  service  which  yet  remained.  The  ability 
ciud  zeal  of  this  gentleman  well  fitted  him  for  the 
task.  He  had  already  explored  the  country  betweea 
Fort  Confidence  and  the  Coppermine  River  during 
the  winter  months,  for  the  purpose  of  ascertaining 
the  best  route  to  be  followed  in  the  spring. 

Accordingly,  in  April  Mr.  Rae,  taking  charge  of 
the  only  boat  which  the  expedition  stili  possessed, 
conveyed  provisions,  boat-stores,  and  various  other 
necessaries  on  dog-sledges,  across  toward  the  Kendall 
River,  and  posted  two  men  at  Flett's  Station,  together 
with  two  Indians,  to  protect  them.  Six  men  composed 
the  crew  of  the  boat  under  the  command  of  Mr.  Rae. 
Two  men  were  left  in  charge  of  Fort  Confidence. 

Mr.  Rae  having  waited  tor  the  breaking  up  of  the 
ice  on  the  Dease  River,  hauled  kis  boat  thither,  on 
wh;.ch  he  embarked  on  the  8th  of  June.  His  ascent 
of  the  stream  was  slow,  in  consequence  of  the  large 
masses  of  ice,  some  of  them  miles  in  length,  which 
impeded  his  progress.    They  ascended  the  soatb-eas^ 


\ 


A68 


P1IOOBB88   or  ARCmO  DISOOVRBT. 


!       i 


■>    '  , 


h4   > 


Hi 


rill 

m 


\i 


em  branch  of  tlmt  Htroam.  On  fho  17th  (hey  pnwcd 
over  the  Inko  from  which  tho  rivor  flows,  on  tho  ico. 
It  contains  Bonio  ishiiids  nnd  is  four  nn*lo8  in  width. 
From  this  hike  thoy  tmvol(Ml  ovorland  for  wix  iin'lc8 
nearly  duo  oast,  and  on  tho  21  at  tlioy  reached  tho  Ken- 
dall tvivor,  to  which  tlio  provisioiifl  had  boon  previ- 
ously convoyed  in  April.  Thoy  tlion  descended  the 
Kendall  to  tho  Cojipcnninc  llivor. 

At  this  place  t]\oy  were  dotainod  by  tho  ico,  which 
was  still  unbroken,  c'lnringj  five  dnya.  Thoy  then  sailed 
down  the  Coppermino  to  tlio  sea ;  and  found  a  nar- 
row channel  alonnj  tho  shore  of  llichardson  Bay, 
where  the  ice  still  lay  airainat  the  rocks.  Thoy  pro- 
coododon  and  rounded  i\>int  Mackenzie,  and  entered 
Back's  Inlet,  which  was  tlicn  but  partially  opened. 
Thoy  soon  reached  the  head  of  the  liilet,  and  at  once 
sailed  up  Kao  River,  wliich  Cai)tiiin  Richardson  had 
discovered  the  preceding  autumn. 

For  the  purpose  of  examining  the  country,  Mr.  Rae 
followed  the  river  for  twenty  goograplu'cal  miles  in- 
land. It  is  very  etraiglit  in  its  direction,  and  flows 
over  a  bed  of  limestone.  Its  banks  are  extremely 
rugged,  and  sometimes  presented  j)recii)ice3  200  feet 
in  lieight.  The  party  then  returned  to  the  mouth  of 
the  river.  Their  position  now  was  (»7°  55'  20"  north 
latitude.  They  reached  Cape  Kendall,  where  they 
experienced  a  licavy  thunder-storm,  which  compelled 
them  to  laud.  On  the  27th  thoy  continued  their 
course  to  Capo  Ilearne.  Basil  Hall  Bay  they  found 
filled  with  unbroken  ice  from  one  side  to  the  other. 
The  next  day  a  crack  occurred  in  the  ice  large  enough 
to  permit  the  boat  to  reach  an  island  in  the  midale 
of  the  bay.  On  tho  north  side  of  tliis  island  thev 
found  some  open  water  which  enabled  them  to  ad- 
vance two  miles  further.  On  the  30th  they  reached 
Cape  Krusenstern. 

This  was  the  most  suitable  spot  from  which  to  de^ 
tert  the  shore,  and  commence  tho  traverse  or  direct 
route  to  WoUastOD  Land,  passing  near  to  Donglasi 


UB  JOHN  BIOHAJBDSOM  8  EXrEDTROW. 


409 


in- 


leir 
iiid 
ler. 

t 
2 

led 
le- 

IS8 


Island.  Tins  circumstanco  was  moro  fortnnato,  ai 
the  coiidition  of  the  ico  along  tlio  shore  rendered 
rholr  further  advance  in  tliat  direction  impossible. 
Tiio  party  (HHCTnl)ark(Ml  licro  and  pitched  their  tents 
on  tJio  top  of  the  clilfrt,  and  waited  for  a  more  favor 
able  state  of  the  ico  ;  wImcIi  lia<l  already  commenced 
to  break  np.  IIito  thoy  were  viaited  by  some  Esqni- 
inanx,  wii(»  inforniod  them  that  they  had  seen  several 
natives  of  Wolhiston  Land  during  the  preceding  win- 
ter, and  liad  l)eon  informed  by  them  that  no  European 
siiipa,  boats,  or  Heamcn  ha<l  over  visited  their  coun- 
try. Tlie  situation  of  the  party  here  was  ascertained 
to  bo  OS**  2t'  35"  north  latitude. 

The  ico  in  the  bay  was  not  suflicicntly  cleared  to 
permit  Mr.  llae  to  proceed  until  the  19th  of  August. 
Until  this  period  tliero  had  been  a  closely  packed 
stream  of  ice  Htretching  along  tlie  entire  snore,  and 
grinding  against  the  rocjks  as  it  was  driven  upon 
them  by  the  wind.  Having  pulled  seven  miles  from 
land  and  being  yet  three  miles  distp.nt  from  Douglass 
Island,  they  wore  n)et  by  a  stream  of  ice  so  closely 
packed  and  so  rough,  thai  i;  was  ijapoasiblo  either 
to  pass  over  it  or  through  it.  This  compelled  the 
company  to  return  to  their  former  position  on  the 
shore.  During  several  succeeding  (lays  tliey  poled 
their  way  along  the  beach,  and  thus  advanced  a  few 
miles  to  the  southward.  On  the  evening  of  the  22d 
Mr.  Rae  ascended  a  hill  near  the  shore,  and  there  bo» 
held  with  a  spy -glass  nothing  in  the  direction  of  Wol- 
laston  Land  but  the  white  ict  forced  upward  by  the 
wind  into  irregular  heaps;  ivhiie  to  the  east  and 
south-east  there  was  a  large  s,^ace  of  open  water,  be- 
tween which  and  the  ice-boiud  shore,  a  vast  stream 
of  ice  some  miles  in  length  wsu  driving  rapid!/  toward 
Cape  Hearne. 

There  was  now  no  prospect  ihat  the  sea  would  open 
BO  as  to  permit  the  frail  crat\  x  which  Mr.  Rao  and 
his  men  were  embarked  to  Vsinture  across  the  main 
to  WoUastou  Laud.    Wintei   was  then  veiy  near; 


lp;.i'    i 


{j  '  ;  i.- 


I 


; 

i 

w 

■i  ■; 

!;r' 

1 

l';l  ■ 

t 

I1f 

■':^ 

r 


ft; 


teo 


ntooEEas  OF  ABrno  disooybkt. 


and  Mr.  Hae  was  reluctantly  compelled  to  give  the 
order  to  return  to  the  Coppermine  River.  In  ascend- 
ing this  rivbr  to  the  Bloody  Foil,  the  company  met  the 
misfortune  of  losing  Albert,  their  Esquimaux  inter 
preter,  and  one  of  the  most  useful  members  of  the 
expedition.  He  was  drowned  in  attempting  to  extri- 
cate the  boat  from  a  dangerous  eddy  into  which  it 
had  been  drawn.  The  boat  was  lost  with  him.  They 
then  commenced  their  journey  on  foot  across  the  land 
toward  Great  Bear  Lake,  each  man  carrying  a  weight 
of  about  eighty  pounds.  After  seven  days'  march 
from  the  Bloody  Fall  the  party  reached  Fort  Confi- 
dence, whence  the  expedition  had  started.  They  had 
failed  to  discover  any  traces  of  Sir  John  Franklin, 
and  had  not  even  reached  WoUaston  I  and,  the  pro- 
posed terminus  of  their  journey,  in  consequence  of 
the  strait  being  filled  with  impassable  ice. 

Meanwhile  Captain  E-ichardson  and  the  rest  of  the 
men  belonging  to  the  exped  tlon,  explored  Bear  Lake 
and  Cape  McDonald".  They  then  reached  Fort  Frank- 
lin. The  only  vestige  of  the  latter  which  remained, 
was  the  foundation  of  the  chimney  stack.  The»ce 
they  proceeded  to  Fort  Norman.  They  then  em- 
barked on  Bear  Lake  River  and  descended  with  the 
currant  to  its  mouth.  Retracing  the  route  which 
they  had  pursued  in  their  outward  journey  during 
thy  preceding  year,  the  company  eventually  readied 
Methy  Lake;  where  Captam  Richardson  received 
his  first  letters  from  England,  which  had  been  brought 
up  from  Canada  by  the  governor's  canoe,  which  annu- 
ally leaves  La  Chine  in  May.  He  arrived  at  Norway 
House  on  the  13th  of  August,  and  there  the  men. 
composing  the  expedition  were  discharged.  The  Eu- 
ropeans among  them  were  sent  down  to  York  factory 
to  sail  to  England  in  one  of  the  ships  of  the  Hudson 
Bay  company. 

Captain  liichardson  himself  returned  by  way  of 
Boston  to  Liverpool ;  and  thus  ended  thia  additional 
attempt  to  discoYer  St  John  Franklin's  late,  without 


3AFTAIN  JC^SNETtYS  YOTAOB. 


461 


having  obtained  the  slightest  clue  of  them ;  although 
the  plan  of  search  pursued  possessed  some  novel  an  1 
very  considerable  advantages  in  its  favor. 

The  Second  Voyage  of  the  Prince  Albebt  in  Seabcb 
OF  Sm  John  Fkanklin,  undeb  the  command  of  Wil- 
liam Kennedy,  in  1853. 

Thm  expedition  "was  fitted  out  for  the  soccad  time 
by  the  liberality  of  Lady  Fr-  nklin.  The  vessel  was 
B'nall,  but  had  proved  herself,  on  a  former  voyage 
to  the  Polar  seas,  well  adapted  to  the  service.*  That 
voj  age  resulted  in  discovering  tnices  of  the  the  miss- 
ing ships  at  tlie  entrance  of  AYcllington  Channel ; 
and  on  its  relurn  Lady  Franklin  instantly  resolved  to 
equip  the  present  undertaking,  with  hopes  of  more 
complete  success  ;  and  Captain  Kennedy  was  invited 
by  her  to  take  the  command. 

In  May,  1851,  the  Prince  Albert  lay  in  the  harbor 
of  Aberdeen  ready  for  sea.  Along  the  sides  frcm 
the  keel  to  about  two  feet  above  the  water-lme,  there 
had  been  placed  a  doubling  of  planking  two  and  a 
lialf  inches  thick.     The  bows  and  stern-posts  were 


sheathed  in 


wrought 


iron,  a  quarter  of  an  inch  in 


thickness.  Her  hold  had  been  strengthened  with  a 
perfect  labyrinth  of  cross- L^eams,  for  the  purpose  of 
better  enabling  her  to  euduiv^  the  immense  pressure 
of  the  ice.  Tiie  object  of  this  cccond  expedition  of 
tlie  Prix^ce  Albert,  was  to  continue  ihv.  search  by  way 
ot  I^rince  Regent'' a  Inlet^  an  important  portion  of  the 
Polar  region,  which  neither  Captain  Penny  nor  Cap- 
tain Austin  had  cplored,  nor  any  other  Arctic  voy- 
ager previous  to  that  period. 

The  crew  of  the  Pvmce  Albert  consisted  of  the 
commanding  officer  and  seventeen  men.  She  was 
furnished  with  two  large  and  valuable  boats,  one  of 
u;utta-percha,  and  the  other  of  mahogany ;  together 


*  Sm  p«g«  84S  of  thi»  Tolum*  for  (he  detalLs  of  tbjt  Tojtf  ^ 


m 


'  n.  ■ 


162 


ntOOBESS  OF  ABOno  DIBOOVEBT. 


*''■ 


H 


te 


with  several  smaller  ones.  Tlie  vessel  was  provi 
Bioned  for  two  years.  On  the  22d  of  May  she  left 
Aberdeen  Harbor.  Lady  Franklin  was  then  on  board, 
and  as  she  left  the  ship  after  expressine^  all  her  wishes 
and  hopes  for  the  success  of  the  gallant  crew,  was 
loudly  and  entliusiastically  cheered,  as  she  deserved 
to  be,  as  she  descended  tlie  vessel's  side  to  return  to 
the  shore.  On  the  23d  of  June  they  made  lloy 
Sound,  and  soon  reached  Cape  Farewell.  Captain 
Kennedy  had  been  instructed  to  examine  Prince  Re- 
y:ent's  Inlet,  and  the  ]>as8a<i;es  connecting  it  with  the 
Western  Sea,  south-west  of  C^ape  Walker.  To  the 
latter  point,  strong  proljubilities  in  favor  of  linding 
traces  of  Sir  John  Franklin  concentrated  ;  inasmuch 
as  it  was  supposed  to  be  likely  that  he  abandoned  his 
vessels  to  the  south-west  of  Cape  Walker;  from  the 
fact  that  he  himself  entertained  the  opinion  that  an 
open  passage  Wiis  to  be  found  from  the  westward  into 
the  south  part  of  Itegent's  lulet;  and  because  tiiis  re- 
gion of  country  was  kni»wn  to  j)ossess  consido'able 
animal  life,  and  he  would  have  the  stores  placed  at 
Fury  Beach  soon  within  liis  reach.  It  wiis  also 
thought  that  he  would  have  pursued  this  route,  inas- 
much as  he  more  probably  expected  assistance  to  he 
sent  him  by  way  of  Lancaster  Sound  and  Barrow 
Straits,  into  whicli  Kegent's  Inlet  opened,  than  by  any 
other  direction. 

By  the  1st  of  July  Captain  Kennedy  was  In  full 
view  of  the  shores  of  Greenland.  They  then  pje- 
sented  a  spectacle  of  morethan-ordinary  interest  and 
sublimity.  As  far  as  the  eye  could  reach,  they  -^  enied 
a  sterile  and  iron-bound  coai-t,  diversitied  here  au.l 
there  with  huge  clilis  of  rock  and  ice,  ascen<iing 
steridy  into  the  wintry  heavens  a  thousand  I'eet  in 
height.  Often  gloomy  caverns  were  seen  in  the  ice 
which  were  portals  for  the  discharge  of  some  half 
frozen  stream  into  the  ocean,  tilled  with  small  ice- 
bergs which  were  but  rolling  and  tossing  in  the  Hood. 
The  vessel  soon  passed  Capes  Desolutiou  and  Coia 


OAPTAIN  KENNEDY'S  VOTAOI. 


46S 


fort ;  and  by  tlio  8tli  of  July  they  were  three-fotirthi 
of  their  way  up  Baffiu's  Bay,  and  nearly  opposite  to 
the  Danish  village  of  llpcruavick.  At  this  village 
thov  took  on  board  six  powerful  Escpiimaux  dogs,  and 
Beafskin  boats  adapted  to  the  Arctic  regions. 

On  the  13th,  the  Prince  Albert  fell  in  with  th« 
American  squadron  whicli  had  just  escaped  from  their 
extraordinary  drift  of  eiglit  months  in  the  heart  of 
the  pack,  through  Lancaster  Sound  and  Baffin's  Bay, 
Finding  Melville  Bay  completely  closed  by  the  ice, 
Captain  Kennedy  determined  to  attempt  a  passage 
further  south.  After  four  days  of  difficult  and  peril- 
ous navigation,  they  succeeded  in  elfecting  an  advance 
of  120  miles  through  the  packed  ice,  and  reached 
West  Water  on  the  21st  of  August.  This  was  a  very 
perilous  exploit,  and  is  one  which  has  proved  the  de- 
struction of  many  a  bold  adventurer  in  those  seas. 
The  small  dimensions  of  the  Prince  Albert  seem  to 
have  given  her  great  advantages  over  her  more  bulky 
associates.  On  the  20th  of  August  they  were  off 
Pond's  Bay,  and  were  here  for  the  last  time  visited 
by  a  small  company  of  Esquimaux.  The  extreme 
rarity  of  the  atmosphere  in  these  northern  climes, 
was  proved  by  the  fact,  tliat  the  voices  of  the  Esqui- 
maux could  be  clearly  heard  as  they  approached  the 
vessel,  at  the  distance  cf  eight  miles. 

From  Pond's  Bay  Captain  Kennedy  steered  through 
Lancaster  Sound.  On  the  3d  of  September  he 
reached  Barrow  Straits.  At  this  point  he  attempted 
to  reach  Cape  Kiley,  in  hope  of  there  finding  traces 
of  Sir  John  Franklin ;  but  after  bearing  up  repeated- 
ly for  the  North  Laud  through  heavy  fogs,  snow,  and 
gales,  was  compelled  to  abandon  the  purpose.  On 
the  4th  of  September  Captain  Kennedy  arrived  at  the 
mouth  of  Prince  Kegeut^s  Inlet,  one  of  the  special 
objects  of  his  search,  lie  there  found  an  unbroken 
barrier  of  ice  extending  as  far  down  the  west  side  of 
Prince  Uegent's  Inlet  as  the  eye  could  see,  piled  up 
iu  deufle  madBes  on  the  ehore.    The  oasteru  udo  ami 


P 


..C^W^'"* 


464 


FSOGBESS  OF  ABOTIO  DISOOTSBT. 


IN  I 


f¥'^ 


I  M 


middle  of  the  inlet  were  comparatively  open.  Thlo 
state  of  tlie  ice  forbade  further  progress  m  the  in- 
tetided  direction.  They  attempted  to  run  into  Leo- 
pold Harbor,  but  found  that  also  impossible.  Thence 
they  ran  down  to  Elwin  Bay  to  Batty  Bay,  and  to 
Fury  Beach,  finding  them  all  closed.  They  were 
very  nearly  involved  in  the  position  which  had  proved 
the  destruction  of  the  Fury — in  a  narrow  lane  be- 
tween the  shore  and  an  extensive  field  of  moving  ice. 
Being  thus  excluded  entirely  from  the  western  shore 
of  the  inlet,  they  were  compelled  to  sail  to  the  oppo- 
site. After  making  a  circuit  of  some  forty  hours 
along  a  high  and  dead  wall, of  ice,  they  reached  Port 
Bowen  on  the  5th,  Landing^  here,  Captain  Kennedy 
found  a  few  traces  of  Sir  E.  Parry's  party.  These 
were  several  cairns,  a  fire-place  of  stones,  pieces  of 
canvas,  nails,  and  broken  pipes.  There  was  here, 
also,  a  single  grave,  the  lonely  resting-place  of  one 
John  Cottrell,  a  seaman  of  the  Fury,  who  was  buried 
in  July,  i2?'5,  aged  thirty-nine. 

It  was  still  regarded  as  of  the  utmost  importance  to 
reach  Port  Leopold,  and  there  eft'ect  a  landing.  On 
the  9th  having  crossed  the  inlet,  and  brought  the  ship 
to  within  several  miles  of  Cape  Seppings,  the  southern 
point  of  Port  Leopold,  Captain  Kennedy  determined 
to  land  with  the  gutta-percha  boat,  and  four  seamen, 
for  the  purpose  of  making  explorations.  He  xound  a 
narrow  lane  of  water  whitsti  brought  them  quickly  to 
the  shore.  On  ascending  the  cli^  on  Cape  Seppings, 
the  appearance  of  the  ice  was  such  as  to  induce  Cap- 
tain Kennedy  to  conclude  that  very  soon  the  Regent's 
Inlet  would  become  clear  and  navigable.  Af'ier  an 
hour  spent  on  shore,  he  prepared  to  return  to  the 
ship,  but  found  his  progress  entirely  cut  ofiT  by  the 
ice,  which,  during  his  delay,  had  entirely  changed 
its  position.  Night  soon  came  on.  The  ocean  was 
covered  with  huge  masses  of  ice  :  grinding,  tossing 
and  rearing  furiously  on  every  side.  To  attempt  to 
rojfich  the  ship  then,  was  directly  to  court  destractioii. 


GAPTAm  eennedt'b  totaob. 


466 


They  were  compelled  to  draw  up  tlieir  boat  on  the 
beach,  and  turning  her  over,  to  prepare  to  pass  the 
night  under  her.  So  intense  was  the  cold  tliat  Cap- 
tain Kennedy  was  compelled  to  prevent  the  men 
from  sleeping  during  the  whole  night,  knowing  thM 
that  alone  would  prevent  them  from  freezing  to  aeath. 
When  the  next  morning  dawned,  and  they  looked  out 
on  the  troubled  sea,  they  found  that  every  vestige  of 
the  Prince  Albert  had  vanished. 

This  position  of  the  captain  and  his  men,  was  both 
unpleasant  and  dangerous.  He  determined  first  to 
fall  back  to  "Whaler  Point,  where  Sir  James  Hoss  had 
deposited  a  store  of  provisions.  They  found  the 
house  erected  by  Sir  James,  still  standing,  and  the 
provisions  in  good  order,  consisting  of  pemmican, 
chocolate  and  biscuit. 

It  was  now  the  10th  of  September  and  winter  was 
upon  them.  The  only  remedy  for  the  lonely  exiles, 
was  to  make  the  best  preparations  possible  to  pass  the 
winter  at  Whaler  Point,  hoping  in  the  ensuing  spring 
to  obtain  a  rescue.  It  was  a  sad  and  sudden  termi- 
nation to  the  voyage,  and  they  submitted  to  it  most 
reluctantly.  They  went  to  work  and  transformed 
the  Icunch  left  there  by  Sir  James  Ross  into  a  shelter, 
by  laying  her  main-mast  on  supports  at  the  bow  and 
stern,  and  spreading  over  them  two  sails.  This  pro- 
ciu'ed  them  a  shelter.     A  stove  was  set  up  in  the 


ceuter  of  the  boat  with  the  pipe  running  through  the 
roof.  This  warmed  them.  Iney  obtained  blankets 
and  clothes  from  the  depot  left  by  Sir  James;  and 
this  rendered  their  condition  more  tolerable.  Thus 
\''eir  dreary  residence  in  those  Polar  regions  began, 
with  the  prospect  of  a  long  and  increasingly  rigorous 
w't^iter  before  them.  What  the  final  issue  mignt  be, 
4,Lwy  could  not  predict.  Time  alone  could  solve  that 
mystery.  The  only  signs  of  life  which  appeared 
aiouiid  them,  were  a  few  Polar  bears  and  foxes. 

Happily  an  uuexpectod  termination  was  put  to 
their  dauger  and  suspense  on  the  17th  of  September, 


1(1,1 


466 


PBOGBESS  OF  ABGTIO  DISCOYEST. 


^m¥  ' 

", 

wi'  ■ 

P^ 

i 

i 

Mm.  ■ 

1 

P- 

( 

El;-- 

( 

mi 


by  the  sudden  appearance  of  a  party  of  seven  men 
under  Mr.  Bellot,  who  had  left  the  Prince  Albert  in 
search  of  the  absentees,  and  had  dragged  the  jolly- 
boat  all  the  way  from  Batty  Bay.  It  was  the  third 
attempt  which  had  been  made  to  discover  and  rescue 
them,  by  the  crew  on  board  the  ship.  The  joy  of 
Captain  Kennedy  and  his  men  at  this  sudden  deliv- 
erance may  readily  be  imagined.  They  were  thu3 
snatched  most  probably  from  the  jaws  of  a  frozen  and 
mysterious  grave  which  would  soon  have  closed  over 
them. 

Five  weeks  had  elapsed  during  their  involuntary 
absence  from  the  ship,  and  they  seemed  to  possess 
the  magnitude  of  years  to  the  despairing  wanderers. 
So  far  distant  were  they  from  the  vessel,  that  it  re- 
quired a  journey  of  several  days  to  conduct  them 
tnither.  The  company  then  prepared  to  pass  the  win- 
ter in  their  present  situation.  The  deck  was  cleared 
of  lumber  and  covered  with  a  housing.  They  then 
built  out-houses  of  snow  for  various  purposes,  for 
wash  houses,  for  a  carpenter  sh#p,  and  for  forges. 
All  the  powder  on  board  was  taken  on  shore  and 
buried  in  th«  snow.  The  winter  was  to  be  passed  in 
making  extensive  land  journeys  in  all  directions,  in 
search  of  Sir  John  Franklin.  They  prepared  a  quan- 
tity of  snow-shoes  and  winter  clothing.  As  soon  as 
the  ice  in  Prince  Regent's  Inlet  permitted  them  to 
travel  from  the  ships  with  safety,  they  commenced 
their  explorations. 

The  tirst  object  of  inquiry  was  to  ascertain  whether 
Fury  Beach  had  been  a  point  of  refuge  to  any  of  Sir 
John  Franklin's  company,  since  it  was  visited  by 
Lieutenant  Robinson  in  1849.  It  was  also  desirable 
to  form  a  depot  of  provisions  there,  to  aid  in  future 
researched  wnich  might  be  made  in  the  same  direc- 
tion. They  followed  the  base  of  the  lofty  cliiFs  which 
extend  in  an  almost  continuous  line  from  Batty  Bay 
to  Fury  Bei^^h.  The  company  consisted  of  five  per- 
BOOS  including  Oaptain  Kennedy.    They  dragged  a 


1'  I  -,  ■     I : 


ilM.'- 


CAPTAIN  KENNEDT'G  VOTAOl. 


467 


eleigh  with  them,  'which  was  no  easy  task,  as  the 
ground  was  covered  the  entire  way  with  bouhlers 
and  large  fragments  of  ice,  which  had  been  stranded 
on  the  beach  by  many  snccessive  tempests.  Theie 
were  also  immense  sloping  embankments  of  drifted 
snow,  which  lay  high  up  against  the  face  of  the  cliffs. 
Their  entire  journey  was  performed  by  moonlight, 
the  sun  having  entirely  bidden  them  farewell  before 
their  departure  from  the  ship. 

Sir  John  Koss  had  erected  in  1832  at  Fury  Beach, 
a  building  which  he  had  named  Somerset  Uouse. 
Many  hopes  centered  around  this  spot,  because  it  was 
reasonably  supposed  that  if  any  of  Franklin's  party 
had  been  imprisoned  in  the  Arctic  seas,  and  had  ever 
come  near  to  Fury  Beach,  they  would  have  repaired 
to  this  well  known  spot,  both  for  shelter  and  provis- 
*ons.  As  soon  as  Captain  Kennedy  reached  this 
house  on  Jaimary  8th,  he  discovered  that  all  his  hopes 
had  been  illusions.  A  death-like  solitude  pervaded 
the  moon-lit  and  frozen  gloom  around  them.  The 
eye  rested  on  a  surrounding  waste,  relieved  by  no 
sign  of  recent  life,  cheered  by  no  evidence  of  the  for- 
mer presence  of  those  whom  they  sought.  The  stores 
which  had  there  been  placed  were  fcitill  in  perfect 
preservation.  The  house  itself  had  become  much  di- 
lapidated by  the  severity  of  the  climate,  and  by  tho 
rude  salutes  of  those  Arctic  storms.  The  root  was 
much  broken.  The  inder-statf  had  been  thrown 
down  by  the  winds,  and  had  been  gnawed  by  the 
famished  foxes.  One  end  of  the  building  was  tilled 
with  snow.  They  lighted  a  lire  in  the  stove  whieh 
Sir  John  lioss  had  once  used,  and  prepared  their  sup- 
per. After  spending  a  few  hours  in  the  careful  ex- 
amination of  that  dreary  spot,  rendered  still  more  mel- 
ancholy by  tho  lunar  gloom  and  the  disappointment 
of  all  their  hopes,  Captain  Kennedy  ancf  hia  men 
returned  after  a  journey  of  Bcveral  days  to  the  ship. 
No  iiaces  of  the  lost  navigators  had  been  seen  during 
this  asit  to  Furjr  Beach.    Tho  state  of  the  weather 


Inw'^ 


I   M 


\h^' 


a. 


'■iH 

III  ' 


'(' 

1 

S     i 


m 


468 


FB00BB8S  OF  ABCTIG  DIS00T1CRT. 


dnring  tlie  ensuing  month,  compelled  Captain  Ken* 
nedy  to  remain  in  his  vessel.  There  they  wore  nearly 
overwhelmed  by  avalanches  of  snow.  There  seemed 
to  be  but  one  gale  during  the  winter  around  the  ship ; 
but  that  gale  blew  when  she  came,  and  continued  tdl 
she  departed.  It  was  dangerous  to  venture  forth  even 
for  a  short  distance ;  inasmuch  as  the  snow-drifts  and 
the  darkness  combined,  soon  involved  the  traveler  in 
a  whirling  deluge  which  rendered  it  impossible  to  see 
six  paces  off. 

A  small  party  were  actually  lost  for  a  short  time, 
when  endeavoring  to  convey  some  provisions  a  short 
distance  from  the  ship  to  form  a  depot.  After  pro- 
ceeding a  few  hours,  a  furious  hurricane  arose,  which 
drifted  the  snow  in  fearful  masses  around  them.  In 
attempting  to  cross  a  bay  on  their  return,  they  lost 
sight  of  the  land  by  which  their  course  was  to  be 

fuided.  Neither  sun,  moon,  or  stars  illumined  the 
eavens.  They  knew  not  which  way  to  turn.  They 
tried  the  expedient  of  setting  the  dogs  loose  which 
drew  the  sledge.  They  all  started  off  at  a  rapid  pace, 
and  afterward  reached  the  ship ;  but  their  gait  was 
too  rapid  for  the  men,  whom  they  soon  left  behind  to 
their  fate.  They  still  went  on  however,  sometimes 
walking,  sometimes  crawling,  sometimes  climbing 
over  the  immense  blocks  and  masses  of  ice  and  snow 
drifts.  At  length  they  reached  the  powder  magazine, 
and  after  some  further  difficulty,  they  found  the  ship. 
Their  escape  was  accidental ;  for  the  men  had  be- 
come so  benumbed  with  cold,  as  to  be  able  no  longer 
to  clear  their  eyelids  of  the  accumulation  of  snow 
which  had  rested  on  them,  and  were  thus  nearly  blind. 
Thus  February  wore  away,  and  Captain  Kennedy 
began  to  prepare  for  the  execution  of  the  chief  land 
journey  which  had  been  contemplated  by  the  expe- 
dition. The  end  of  this  journey  was  Cape  Walker ; 
for  it  was  supposed  that  if  Sir  John  Franklin  had 
taken  his  departure  for  the  unknown  regions  to  the 


OAFTAm  KXimEDY'8  YOTAOB. 


469 


'I 
2,0. 


west  and  south-west,  lie  would  have  started  from  thiA 
point,  and  not  from  Wellington  Channel. 

Five  men  accompanied  Captain  Kennedy  on  this 
excursion.  As  far  as  Fury  Beach  they  were  accom- 
panied by  seven  persons  as  a  fatigue  party.  Their 
provisions,  clothing,  and  bedding  were  drawn  on  two 
Indian  sleighs  by  five  dogs.  They  started  on  the  25t]i 
of  February,  and  were  accoi  ipanied  by  the  whole 
crew  as  far  as  Batty  Bay.  On  the  5th  of  March 
Captain  Kennedy  reached  Fury  Beach.  Here  they 
remained  several  days,  and  fouud  the  old  stores  do- 
posited  here  by  Sir  John  Ross,  not  only  in  a  state  of 
good  preservation,  but  also  much  superior  in  quality 
to  those  which  they  brought  with  them.  These  pro- 
visions consisted  ol  preserved  meats,  vegetables,  and 
soups,  and  after  thirty  years'  exposure  to  the  intense 
climate  of  the  Arctic  zone,  they  were  found  to  be  still 
perfect  I  The  fiour  had  all  become  caked  in  solid 
lumps,  and  had  to  be  reground  and  passed  through  a 
seive  before  it  could  be  used ;  but  then  it  furnished 
most  excellent  biscuit. 

On  the  29th  of  March  Captain  Keniedy  resumed 
his  march  from  Fury  Beach.  He  had  four  flat-bot- 
tomed Indian  sleighs,  drawn  by  tlie  dogs  and  men. 
They  proceeded  toward  Cape  Garry  over  a  long  route 
of  noes  and  low-lying  points.  They  uniforinly  com- 
menced their  journey  immediately  after  breakfasty 
and  continued  till  evening,  when  a  snow  hut  was 
greeted,  and  preparations  made  to  pass  the  night  in 
it.  Their  labors  were  rarely  over  and  repose  begun, 
before  ten  o'clock  at  night. 

On  the  Ist  of  April  they  reached  Craswell  Bay, 
and  in  the  evening  came  to  Cape  Garry.  They 
thence  proceeded  onward  to  Brentford  Bay,  where 
they  found  a  dozen  Esquimaux  huts,  deserted  by  their 
inhabitants.  Here  the  party  divided  for  the  purpose 
of  exploring  several  channels  of  open  water  wtiich 
extended  toward  the  interior.  Captain  Kennedy 
traveled  twenty  miles  along  one  of  these  channek. 


k1 
"  .1 


1 1 


4 
'i  1 


',''  i 


! 


I       ,1; 


470 


PB0OBE8S  OB  ABOTIO  OIBOOVEBT. 


From  a  liill  on  which  he  here  encamped  he  saw  a 
broad  channel  running  north-east,  which  he  at  first 
supposed  to  be  a  continuation  of  Brentford  Bay.  Its 
great  extent  however,  convinced  liim  that  it  was  a 
western  sea,  and  that  the  narrow  passage  through 
which  he  had  just  traveled  was  a  strait  leading  out 
of  Prince  Regent's  Inlet.  This  being  apparently  a 
new  discovery,  Captain  Kennedy  called  it  Bellol 
Strait,  after  the  second  officer  of  the  expedition.  This 
water  was  afterward  discovered  to  be  the  northern 
extremity  of  Victoria  Strait,  which  Dr.  Kae  had  ex- 
plored from  another  direction. 

At  this  point  Captain  Kennedy  determined  to  pro- 
ceed in  a  westward  direction,  in  order  to  ascertain 
whether  any  channel  existed  there  through  which 
Sir  John  Franklin  might  have  penetrated  from  Cape 
"Walker. 

On  the  8th  of  April  he  started  in  pursuance  of 
this  pvj-pose.  Their  progress  was  slow  in  consequence 
of  the  roi7ghness  of  the  ice.  The  men  became  much 
afflicted  with  snow-blindness,  and  were  much  dis- 
tressed by  the  sharp  particles  of  snow  drift  which 
were  dashed  by  the  furious  wind  into  their  eyes.  The 
wide  region  around  them  was  perfectly  level,  and 
Captain  Kennedy  named  it  Arrow  Smith's  Plains. 
£cmet:.mes  t}:.o  severity  of  the  weather  compelled 
them  to  re?i;ain  for  se  /eral  days  in  their  snow-hut. 
They  traveled  on  lor  t  lirteen  days  without  meeting 
any  in^iications  of  the  approaching  sea.  This  con- 
vinced Captain  Kennedy  that  there  was  no  passage 
by  water  to  the  south-west  of  Cape  Walker;  and  that 
due  acrtL  was  now  the  most  desirable  course  to  be 
puroued. 

S'oilo'ving  this  purpose  he  traveled  in  that  direct 
tion  for  twenty  miles  over  a  level  plain.  On  the  24th 
of  April  they  arrived  at  the  bottom  of  a  deep  inlet, 
which  has  since  been  ascertained  to  be  the  Omma- 
oev  Bay  of  Captain  Austin's  expedition.  From  this 
point  they  steered  eastward,  in  order  to  strike  tho 


Ur    M 


i?!i' 


11 1% 


CAPTAIN  Kennedy's  voyaob. 


471 


^ 


cliannel  supposed   to  be  to  the  eastward  of  Cape 
Hunny,  ond  })y  following  it  to  reach  Capo  Walker. 

After  throe  days  they  came  to  Browne's  Bay.  At 
length  on  the  4th  of  May,  they  approached  the  bold 
headland  of  Cape  Walker,  for  the  attainment  of  which 
they  had  endured  so  much.  Here  they  confidently 
hoped  to  find  some  traces  of  Sir  John  1^  ranklin,  had 
he  followed  the  suggestions  contained  in  his  original 
instructions.  Ciiptain  Kennedy  accordingly  searched 
every  spot  within  three  miles  on  both  sides  of  the 
cape.  They  followed  the  windings  of  the  rough  ice 
outside  the  beach.  They  examined  the  base  of  the 
lofty  clifl's  which  stretch  away  northward  from  the 
cape.  Not  a  single  vestige  of  the  lost  navigator  could 
anywhere  be  discovered. 

Captain  Kennedy  now  determined  immediately  to 
return  to  the  ship.  He  pushed  directly  across  North 
Somerset  toward  Batty  Bay,  intending  to  follow  the 
ioast  to  Whaler  Point.  This  route  was  double  the 
distance  of  the  one  already  followed ;  but  it  was 
hoped  that  perhaps  it  miglit  lead  to  some  desirable 
results.  On  the  lirst  day  they  encamped  about  mid- 
way between  Cape  Walker  and  Limestone  Island. 
They  passed  by  Cunningham  Inlet,  Cape  Gillbrd,  and 
Cape  Kennel.  At  Cape  McClintock  they  found  the 
small  store  of  provisions  which  Sir  John  Ross  had 
left  there  in  1841).  On  the  15th  of  May  they  reached 
Whaler  Point.  On  the  27th,  they  left  Whaler  Point, 
feo  return  directly  to  the  Prince  Albert,  and  on  the 
30th  their  laud  journey  ended  by  their  safe  arrival  at 
the  vessel. 

Yarious  preparations  for  their  departure  now  occu- 
pied the  attention  of  the  seamen.  On  the  2l8t  of  July 
these  were  completed ;  but  they  found  it  impossible 
to  move  th'i  biiip.  •  The  ice  had  congealed  firmly 
around  her.  Thi  only  possibility  of  releasing  her 
was  by  sawin^,;  a  c.anal  through  the  ice  which  still  ob- 
structed the  bay.  Aiter  the  hard  labor  of  a  week,  a 
canal  half  a  mile  in  length,  and  suliicieutly  wide  to 


PI 


IMAGE  EVALUATION 
TEST  TARGET  (MT-3) 


1.0 


I.I 


us 


[28     |25 
III 

1.8 


1.25      1.4   ||.6 

4 6" 

► 

Photographic 

Sciences 

Corporation 


PC 

4^ 


33  WEST  MAIN  STREET 

WEBSTER,  N.Y.  14S80 

(716)872-4503 


4- 


^ 


.1 


;l 


M     t 


j'^ 


lii>> 


472 


PROORKSS   OF  AUGTIC   DISCOVERY. 


permit  tlie  vessel  to  pass  was  cut  through.  This  chan- 
nel was  thon  clearod  of  the  ice  by  the  use  of  Copt 
land's  blasting  cylinders. 

On  the  6tn  of  August  Captain  Kennedy  and  his 
crew  joyfully  bade  farewoll  to  Eatty  Lay,  where  the 
Prince  Albert  had  remained  tLree  hundred  and 
thirty  days.  In  Elwin  Bay  thev  wore  detained  a 
whole  week  by  tlie  compact  masses  of  ice  which  still 
obstructed  the  sea.  On  the  17th,  the  ice  suddenly 
cleared  away,  and  they  then  steore<'  for  Beechey  Islancl. 
At  this  point  ihoy  met  tlie  "  North  Star,"  from  Eng- 
land, commanded  by  Cajttain  Pull 3n,  which  had  been 
despatched  by  the  British  Admiralty,  to  pursue  tha 
search  after  Sir  John  Franklin. 

Having  completed  the  object  of  the  expedition,  as 
far  as  Iiad  been  in  his  power,  though  without  any 
very  satisfactory  results,  Captain  itennedy  on  the 
24th  of  August  bore  away  for  England,  leaving  the 
North  Star  preparing  to  winter  at  Beechey  Island,  and 
carrying  with  him  the  latest  dispatches  for  the  Ad- 
miralty from  Commander  PuUen.  He  wished  to 
touch  on  his  voyage  at  Navy  Board  Inlet,  hoping  to 
be  able  to  ascertain  the  state  of  the  stores  which  had 
been  placed  there.  Two  unsuccessful  attempts  to  ac- 
complish this  purpose  were  defeated,  and  Captain 
Kennedy  was  then  compelled  by  stress  of  weather,  to 
relinquish  that  design.  On  the  21st  of  September 
the  Prince  Albert  reached  Capo  Farewell ;  and  on 
the  7th  of  October,  sbe  anchored  in  Aberdeen  Har- 
bor. Six  weeks  had  elapsed  since  the  commence- 
ment of  her  homeward-bound  voyage.  The  entire 
expedition  had  occupied  the  period  altogether  of  tif- 
tx3en  months.  During  their  winter  stay  at  Whaler 
Point,  many  of  the  men  had  traveled  two  thousand 
miles  in  excursions  in  various  directions.  The  expe- 
dition settled  the  point,  that  Sir  John  Franklin  could 
not  have  advanced  by  Cape  Walker,  but  had  taken  the 
northern  route  through  Queen  Channel  and  Penny 
Strait;  and  that  traces  of  his  fate  could  alone  be 


PB.  KAKR  8  SXPEDTITON. 


473 


fonnd  from  the  westward  or  Beliring*8  Straits.  Yet 
there  too,  other  researches,  equally  sagacious,  perse- 
verinff  and  thorough,  have  all  unfortunately  proved 
equally  unsuccessful  I 

Arotio  Explorations;  the  second  Grtnnell  Expe- 
DrriON  IN  SEAKcii  of  Sir  John  Franklin  in  1853,  '54, 
'55,  BY  Dr.  E.  K.  Kane,  in  the  Brig  "  Advance." 

In  December,  1852,  Dr.  Kane  received  his  orders 
from  the  Navy  Department  at  Washington,  to  con- 
duct an  expedition  into  the  Arctic  reo^ions  in  search 
of  the  great  English  navigator.  The  ship  "  Advance," 
in  which  he  had  formerly  sailed,  was  placed  under 
his  command.  Ho  immediately  proceeded  to  select 
his  crew,  to  equip  the  vessel,  and  to  make  the  other 
preparations  which  were  necessary.  His  party  num- 
bered seventeen  picked  men,  all  of  whom  had  folun- 
teered  to  try  with  him  the  perilous  vicissitudes  of 
liis  daring  venture.  The  brig  sailed  from  the  port 
of  New  I'ork,  on  the  30th  of  May,  1853 ,  and  in 
eighteen  days  arrived  at  St.  Johns,  New  Foundland. 
After  providing  themselves  at  this  place  with  an  ad- 
ditional stock  of  fresh  meat,  and  a  valuable  team  of 
Newfoundland  dogs,  they  steered  for  the  coast  of 
Greenland. 

The  avowed  purpose  of  this  second  Arctic  journey 
of  Dr.  Kane  was,  to  explore  what  he  believed  to  be 
the  probable  extension  of  the  northern  promontory  of 
the  peninsula  of  Greenland.  He  also  thought  that 
the  extreme  northern  headland  of  this  frozen  region 
undoubtedly  contained  and  would  exhibit  traces  of 
the  lost  navigators.  Ho  supposed  that  the  chain  of 
the  great;  lan(f  masses  of  Green  land  miglit  extend  very 
far  toward  the  North  Pole ;  that  Sir  John  Franklin 
might  also  have  been  attracted  by  this  theory,  and 
might  have  pursued  this  route;  and  that  by  a 
thorough  Beer'''i  in  that  direction,  the  utmost  limits 
of  whidi  had  not  yet  been  invadea  or  explored  by  his 


474 


ntoGimBs  OF  ABxmo  disooyebt* 


pi? 


bold  and  adventurons  predecessors,  some  light  mi^lit 
not  only  be  obtained  to  solve  the  great  enigma  which 
still  engrossed  the  wonder  of  men,  but  also  new  and 
independent  discoveries  might  be  made  in  that  un- 
known region. 

On  the  Ist  of  July  Dr.  Kane  entered  the  harbor 
of  Fiskernoes,  one  of  the  Danish  settlements  of  Green- 
land.   This  obscure  and  lonely  co-nmunity  is  sup- 
ported by  their  trade  in  codfish.    The  strangers  were 
received  with  simple  hospitality  by  Mr.  Lazzen,  the 
superintendent  of  tne  colony.    Some  fresh  provisions 
were  here  also  obtained,  and  an  Esquimaux  liunter  of 
superior  skill  was  enlisted  in  the  service  of  the  party. 
Proceeding  on  from  this  point,  the  other  Danish 
settlements  of  Greenland  were  successively  visited — 
LichtenfelSjSukkertoppen,  Proven,  Uporuavick,at  the 
last  of  which  places  the  first  Grinnell  expedition  of 
1851  had  rested  after  its  winter  drift.    At  length  they 
reached  Yotlik,  the  most  northern  point  in  Greenland 
inliabited  by  human  beings.     Beyond  this  the  coast 
may  be  regarded  as  having  been  until  that  period, 
unexplored.    From  Yotlik,  Dr.  Kane  steered  north- 
ward toward  Butfiu's  Islands,  whicli  he  found  then 
clear  of  ice ;  and  passing  by  Duck  Island,  bore  away 
for  Wilcox  Point.    As  he  approached  Melville  Bay 
he  was  enveloped  in  a  thick  fog,  during  the  preva- 
lence of  which  he  drifted  among  the  icebergs.     Ai- 
ter  a  hard  day's  work  with  the  boats,  they  towed  the 
brig  away   from   these    unpleasant  and  dangerous 
neighbors.     Ho  then  determined  to  stand  westward, 
and  double  Melville  Bay  by  an  outside  passage,  un- 
less prevented  and  intercepted  by  the  pack.     In  exe- 
cuting this  purpose  he  concluded,  in  order  to  avoid 
the   drifting  fioes,  to  anchor  to  an  ice-berg.     Eight 
hours  were  spent  in  the  severe  labor  of  warping,  heav- 
ing, and  planting  the  anchors.     But  scarcely  had  this 
task  been  tinishod,  when  the  attention  of  the  crew  waa 
attracted  by  a  loud  crackling  sound  aloft.    Small  frag- 
ments of  ice  began  to  descend.    The  ship  became  iQ 


IS 


DR.  KANE  S  EXPEDITION. 


475 


the 


imminent  peril  from  the  falling  fragments  of  the  dis- 
Bi.  /m^  mountain.     Scarcely  mid  she  cast  off  from 

face  of  it  descended  in  ruins 


roaring  with  a  thundei 


tlio  ice-berg,  when  the 
upon   the  sea,  crashing  and 
not  unlike  that  of  artillery. 

On  the  6th  of  August  they  passed  tlie  "Crimson 
Oliffa,"  so  called,  from  the  appearance  usually  pre- 
sented by  their  8iK>w-cla<l  summits.     Next  day  tney 
re.'iched  Hakluyt  Island ;  which  is  surmounted  by  a 
tall  spire  springini'  six  hundred  feet  into  the  heavens 
above  the  lovtd  of  the  water.     They  soon  passed  Ca])es 
Alexander   and  Isabella,  and  thus   entered  Smith's 
Sound.     Uaving  veached  Littleton  Island,  Dr.  Kane 
determined  to  d*iposit  here  a  supply  of  provisions, 
and  some  permaueut  traces  of  his  route,  to  be  used 
in   case  it  should  W  necessary  afterward  to  send  an 
exploring  party  to  di«<pover  the  fate  of  his  own.    The 
life-boaj;  was  accordingly  buried  here,  containing  a 
supply  of  pemmican,  bhink<^*«.  and  India  rubber  cloth. 
They  endeavored  to  fortify  the  precious  deposit  from 
the  claws  of  the  Polar  bea''^    And  here  on  this  lone- 
ly spot,  the  party  were  surprised  to  find  the  traces  of 
Esquimaux  life.     The  ruins  of  stone  huts,  and  even 
the  frozen  corpses  of  the  dead  wavti  discovered :  and 
so  singular  had  been  the  action  of  the  intense  cold 
upon  the  dead  bodies,  that  though  t.Kejr  had  probably 
occupied  their  cheerless  homes  for  h  century,  they 
were  still  not  decomposed. 

The  20th K>f  August  still  found  thQ  brig  and  her 
gallant  crew  navigating  the  dangerovis  and  ice-la- 
dened  waters  of  Smith's  Sound.  At  thi<4  date  they  en- 
countered a  storm  of  extraordinary  fury ;  and  made 
one  of  those  narrow  escapes  from  destruction,  which 
sometimes  give  an  air  more  of  romajnce  than  of  reali- 
ty to  the  adventures  of  Arctic  explorers.  In  r  terr'  '^c 
gale  their  three  hawsers  were  broken,  and  tbe  brig 
drifted  with  fearful  rapidity  under  the  furious  press- 
ure of  the  storm.  Only  by  the  utmost  heroiera  »ud 
skill  was  the  Advance  Kept  irom  being  dashed  to 
30  T» 


¥ 


f-' 


ii-l 


m 


PBOGBESB  OF  ARCmO  DISCOVERY. 


pieces  against  the  mountains  of  ice  which  tossed^ 
rolled,  and  surged  around  her  in  the  deep.  The 
greatest  danger  of  all  was  after  the  storm  had  partly 
lulled,  when  the  bergs  continued  to  thump  against 
the  floe-ice ;  and  the  certainty  of  being  crushed  be- 
tween the  two,  stared  the  voyagers  in  the  face.  A 
sudden  means  of  escape  presented  itself,  and  with  ad- 
mirable dexterity  and  promptitude  the  crew  availed 
themselves  of  it.  A  low,  water-washed  berg  at  that 
moment  came  driving  along  past  the  Advance.  An 
anchor  was  instantly  planted  in  its  side  and  held  fast 
by  a  whale  line.  Carried  along  with  fearful  rapidi- 
ty by  this  giiijantic  tow-horse,  the  little  brig  was 
chifted  out  of  danger,  and  once  more  escaped  the  im- 
pending ruin.  She  had  a  close  shave  of  it  neverthe- 
less, and  would  have  lost  her  port  quarter-boat  had 
it  not  been  taken  in  from  the  davits. 

The  navigators  continued  their  northern  ^;outo  by 
tracking  along  the  ice-belt  which  hugs  the  frozen 
shore.  On  the  23d  of  August  they  had  reached  78° 
41' north  latitude.  This  placed  tliem  further  north 
than  any  of  their  predecessors  had  been,  except  Cap- 
tain Parry.  During  the  progress  of  the  journey,  the 
whole  coast  had  been  inspected  carefully ;  yet  no 
traces  of  Sir  John  Franklin  had  been  discovered.  On 
the  28th  of  August  Dr.  Kane  determined  to  send  out 
an  expedition  from  the  vessel  to  make  further  search, 
as  the  condition  of  the  ice  prevented  the  Advance 
from  being  brought  near  to  tiie  shore."  The  whale- 
boat  was  chosen  for  this  adventure.  They  took  with 
them  a  sledge  and  a  supply  of  pemmican.  The  par- 
ty consisted  of  seven  persons  selected  from  the  crew 
The  vessel  was  placed  under  the  temporary  control 
of  Mr.  Ohlsen.  Ihe  adventurers  were  provided  witli 
buflalo  robes,  and  other  necessary  means  of  protec- 
tion against  the  extreme  cold.  Their  progress  how- 
over  was  slow,  not  making  more  than  seven  miles  per 
day,  in  consequence  of  the  obstructiona  of  the  ice 
along  the  shore.    Very  soon  they  were  compelled  to 


DB.  KAHB'b  BXFKDinOV. 


477 


hhf,  'idon  the  boat,  and  employ  their  sledge.  The  ab» 
Tnpt  nature  of  tlio  ground  over  which  they  traveled 
rray  be  inferred  from  the  fact,  that  frequently  thcv 
?7ero  conatrained  to  carry  the  sledge  on  their  shoul- 
i«a*8  over  precipices  and  gorges  in  the  ice,  and  over 
h^gh  and  perpendicular  knolls  of  enow. 

In  this  trip  the  travelers  found  many  skeletons  of 
*.he  reindeer.  Dr.  Kane  ascertained  by  scientific  ob- 
servation, tliat  the  moan  elevation  of  tliis  part  of  the 
coast  of  Greenland  was  thirteen  hundred  feet.  After 
five  days'  laborious  travel,  he  was  but  foi'ty  miles  dis- 
tant from  the  brig.  Here  ho  determined  to  leave  the 
biedge  behind  and  proceed  on  foot.  On  the  5th  of 
September  they  discovered  a  bay  mucli  larger  than 
iiny  otlier  previously  known  to  extend  from  Smith's 
Straits,  It  was  fed  by  a  large  river  which  poured  a 
flood  ot  tumultuous  waters  into  it  from  the  interior 
of  North  Greenland.  It  was  fully  three  quarters  of 
a  mile  wide  at  its  mouth.  The  gallant  navigators 
gave  it  the  name  of  Mary  Minturn  Kiver,  after  the 
Bister  of  MiVB.  11.  Grinnell.  This  river  was  traced  for 
forty  miles  toward  its  mouth ;  and  its  origin  was  found 
to  be  derived  from  the  melting  snows  of  the  interior 
glaciers. 

From  his  researches  in  this  region,  Dr.  Kane  came 
to  the  conclusion  that  this  coast  of  Greenland  faced 
to  the  north,  llis  longitude  here  was  78°  41'  west. 
After  sixteen  miles  of  foct  journey  the  company 
reached  a  great  headland  to  which  they  gave  the 
name  of  Thackeray.  Eight  miles  further  on,  a 
similar  eminence  attracted  tiieir  attention;  to  which 
they  applied  the  epithet  of  llawkes.  The  tablelands 
here  wore  twelve  hundred  feet  high.  The  party  con- 
tinued their  dillicult  and  dangerous  journey  until  they 
reached  some  lofty  headlands,  where  they  determined 
to  terminate  their  excursion.  These  reached  an  alti- 
Ude  of  eleven  hundred  feet,  and  overlooked  an  ex- 

fjanse  extending  beycr.d  the  eighteenth  parallel  of 
atitude.    The  yiew  fj<:m  this  elevation  was  mariced 


■<  IM! 


¥'■ 


Iv 


ri 


« 


f 


478 


FB0OBBB8  OF  AVXTTIO  DmOOTEBT. 


by  every  element  of  gloomy  and  clioorlcBfl  magnifi 
cenco.  On  the  loft,  Uie  western  shore  of  the  sound 
stretched  away  toward  the  northern  pole.  To  the 
right  a  rngged  and  rolling  country  appeared,  which 
ended  in  the  Great  Humboldt  Glacier.  Toward  the 
nortlk-east  the  projecting  headland  called  Cape  An- 
drew Jackson,  appeared;  and  the  vast  area  between 
was  a  sea  of  solid  ice.  Farther  still,  a  stream  of  ice- 
bergs presented  their  rugged  and  unseemly  bulks  to 
the  eye  of  the  observer. 

Having  carefully  examined  the  whole  country  as 
far  as  his  glasses  would  reach,  Dr.  Kane  determmed 
to  return  to  the  Advance.  Winter  was  now  rapidly 
approaching,  and  it  was  necessary  to  select  some  ap- 
propriate spot  in  which  the  crew  and  the  vessel  might 
pass  its  long,  gloomy,  and  dangerous  interval.  For 
various  reasons  which  need  not  here  be  detailed,  Dr. 
Kane  resolved  to  remain  where  he  then  was.  He 
had  arrived  at  the  conclusion  tiiat  Kensselaer  Harbcr 
would  be  tlic  most  desirable  winter  quarters;  and  on 
the  10th  of  September  they  comujenced  the  labors 
necessary  to  render  their  position  tenable  and  safe. 
They  removed  the  contents  of  the  hold  of  the  vessel 
to  a  store-house  which  they  prepared  on  Butter  Island. 
A  deck-house  was  built  on  the  vessel,  in  which  the 
ditferent  qualities  of  veutilctiou,  warmth,  dryness, 
room,  and  comfort,  were  sought  to  the  utmost  possi- 
ble extent,  A  site  for  the  observatory  was  selected. 
Stones  were  hauled  over  the  ice  on  sledges  for  its  erec- 
tion. Its  location  was  on  a  rocky  inlet  about  a  hun- 
dred yards  from  the  vessel,  which  they  named  Fern 
liock.  Treparatious  were  also  made,  preparatory  to 
the  work  of  establishing  provision  depots  on  the  coast 
of  Greenland.  The  advantage  of  these  provision  de- 
pots will  appear  from  the  fact  that  by  their  assistance, 
expeditious  of  search  could  afterward  be  conducted 
with  tJi©  use  of  sledges  and  dogs.  The  provisions  for 
the  latter,  if  taken  on  the  journeys  themselves,  form 
oo  bf.afT  Si  ioad  as  beriouslv  to  embaiTass  the  mov<i 


DB.  KANE'S  EXPEDinOV. 


478 


monts  of  tho  travelers.  But  when  thoy  woro  rcletiBod 
from  thin  labor,  these  dogs  conveyed  tho  sledges  and 
thoir  occupants  on  long  journeys  successfully,  and 
with  great  rapidity  on  their  tours  of  examination. 

On  the  20th  of  September  the  l.rst  party  organized 
to  establish  i)rovi8ion  deoots  wjis  seiit  out.  It  consist- 
ed of  seven  men.  A  sledge  thirteen  feet  in  length, 
called  the  "  Faith,"  was  tilled  with  pemmican,  and 
was  drawn  by  those  attached  to  it,  by  means  of  track- 
ropes  termed  rue-raddies,  which  were  passed  around 
the  shoulder  and  under  tlie  arms.  Tho  intended  lo- 
cation of  this  depot  was  sixty  miles  from  the  brig,  on 
the  Greenlanu  coast.  As  tiie  bold  and  hardy  auvcn- 
turers  started  forth,  they  were  saluted  with  three 
hearty  cheers  by  their  comrades  who  remained  with 
tho  vessel. 

The  life  of  tlie  party  which  remained  in  the  vessel 
was  not  devoid  of  incident  and  interest.  They  made 
a  desperate  attempt  to  smoke  out  the  rats  with  which 
they  were  infested.  To  accomplish  tiiis  purpose,  a 
quantity  of  charcoal  was  burnt,  after  the  hatches  had 
been  shut  down,  and  every  visible  crovice  had  been 
stopped.  A  largo  quantity  of  carbonic  acid  gas  was 
then  generated,  and  tho  crow  spent  one  night  on  deck 
in  oraer  to  give  the  rats  fair  play.  One  or  two  of  tho 
seamen  made  a  narrow  escape  from  suHbcation,  by 
venturing  during  tho  night  into  the  fumigated  por- 
tion of  tho  ship.  They  woro  also  assailed  by  another 
peril.  A  barrel  of  charcoal  by  some  means  became 
Ignited,  which  had  been  left  in  the  carpenter's  room 
at  some  distance  from  tho  stove.  After  some  labor 
and  more  anxiety,  tho  tire  was  suppressed  before  any 
very  serious  damage  had  been  done  to  the  vessel.  The 
corpses  of  twenty-eight  defunct  rats,  of  ail  sizes,  ages, 
and  Bexes,  became  tho  next  day  the  trophies  of  the 
successful  attack  of  the  crew  upon  their  foes. 

By  the  10th  of  October  the  party  which  had  been 
tent  to  establish  the  Urst  depot  of  proviaiona,  had 
been  absent  twenty  days;  and  their  return  waa  anx- 


mm 


4 


r  ^;.i: 


iv 


%i  ' 


f!j' 


n- 


lift' 


.  sii'  -,1 


L'i 


*{,'i 


SI 

b 


'i  ■..;>■ 


:.   ii 


480 


PBOOSBBB  or  ABOnO  DDOOTEBT. 


iously  expected.  Dr.  Eane  at  length  detannined  to 
start  out  in  search  of  them.  He  traveled  with  one 
companion  on  a  sledge  drawn  by  four  Newfoundland 
dogs.  He  averaged  twenty  miles  per  day  with  this 
singular  team.  On  the  15th,  several  hours  oefore  sun- 
rise, he  perceived  on  the  distant  and  snowy  waste,  a 
dark  object  which  seemed  to  move.  It  proved  to  be 
the  returning  depot-party.  They  had  traveled  at  the 
rate  of  eighteen  miles  per  day,  and  had  been  twenty- 
eight  days  engaged  in  their  laborious  expedition. 
Some  of  their  limbs  had  been  frozen,  and  they  had  met 
with  other  mishaps,  though  none  were  of  a  very  seri- 
ous nature,  and  they  had  accomplished  the  purpose 
for  which  they  had  been  sent  out.  The  greeting 
which  ensued  on  their  return  to  the  ship,  was  hearty 
on  both  sides.  They  had  made  the  first  deposit  of 
provision  at  Cape  Russell.  Thirty  milea  further  on, 
they  left  about  a  hundred  and  ten  pounds  of  pemmi- 
can  and  beef,  about  thirty  pounds  of  a  mixture  of 
pemmican  and  meal,  and  a  ba^  of  bread.  On  the 
10th  of  October  they  made  their  third  and  last  de- 
posit on  an  island  called  James  McGary,  after  the 
second  officer  of  the  expedition.  Here  they  erected 
a  cairn,  and  buried  six  liundred  and  seventy  pounds 
of  pemmican,  and  forty  of  meat,  biscuit,  with  other 
items,  making  in  all  ei^ht  liundred  pounds.  One  in- 
cident which  occurred  during  their  journey,  illustrates 
very  clearly  some  of  the  perils  which  attend  Arctic 
travel.  The  company  had  pitched  their  tent  for  the 
night  and  had  retired  to  rest.  It  was  about  mid- 
night. They  had  been  lulled  to  slumber  by  the  grand 
monotonous  thundering  of  the  neighboring  glaciers. 
Suddenly  the  Hoe  on  which  the  tent  was  placed, 
cracked  with  a  stupendous  reoort  directly  beneath 
them.  The  sleeping  party  neeaed  no  further  prompt- 
ings  to  bestir  themselves.  Hepeated  reports  around 
them  gave  evidence  that  the  ice  was  oreaking  up. 
The  aledge  was  immediately  placed  upon  a  detached 
pieoo  of  iG«|  and  rowed  and  paddled  to  one  of  tht 


lf...il 


•i 


DB.  KANB  B  BXPEOITIOV. 


481 


firmer  fields  which  remained  attached  to  the  hergg. 
Here  they  obtained  safety  until  the  morning,  when 
they  quicKly  removed  from  their  dangerous  position. 
They  eventually  returned  in  safety  to  the  brig. 

By  the  7th  of  November,  1853,  the  darkness  of  an 
Arctic  winter  began  to  settle  down  upon  them.  It 
was  necessary  to  keep  the  lamps  lit  constantly.  They 
had  the  comfortable  prospect  '  Mnety  days  of  dark- 
ness yet  to  come.  It  was  natural  that  the  lonely  ad- 
venturers should  begin  to  devise  some  moans  of 
ajmsement,  by  which  they  might  beguile  the  cheer- 
less monotony  of  their  existence.  A  fancy  ball  was 
projected,  and  an  Arctic  journal  bearing  the  appro- 
priate title  of  "The  Ice  Blink,"  was  coniuienccd. 
Thus  the  slow  and  tedious  days  and  nights  of  their 
winter  sojourn  wore  on.  In  spite  of  the  intense  cold, 
Dr.  Kane  continued  to  make  his  magnetic  observa- 
tions in  the  observatory.  When  the  thermometer 
stood  at  forty-nine  degrees  below  zero,  and  even  at 
3ixty-four  degrees  below  zero,  he  still  effected  his  as- 
tronomical investigations  and  calculations. 

On  the  2l8t  of  January  the  tirst  traces  of  the  re- 
turmL^  light  became  visible.  Its  approach  was  in- 
dicated by  a  beauteous  orange  tint,  which  Hushed  the 
distant  southern  horizon.  But  still,  the  darkness 
seemed  to  be  eternal  and  unvarying.  The  continued 
absence  of  light  appeared  to  anect  the  health  of  the 
party,  as  much  as  the  excessive  rigor  of  the  cold. 
By  tne  21st  of  February  the  sun's  rays  became  clearly 
visible,  and  when  March  arrived,  it  brought  with  it 
the  almost  perpetual  day  which  alternately  takes  the 
place  in  the  Arctic  realms  of  almost  perpetual  night. 
During  the  winter,  nine  noble  Newfoundland,  and 
thirty^ve  Esquimaux  dogs,  which  were  of  the  ut- 
most value,  had  perished.  Six  only  remained  out 
of  the  whole  number  which  had  been  taken  at  the 
commencement  of  the  expedition ;  and  these  were 
now  their  only  reliance  in  their  future  oneratious. 

By  the  18tL  of  March  the  spring  tiaes  began  tc 


482 


FBOOBESS  OF  ABOTIO  DSOOYEBT. 


■•    , 


break  and  move  tho  massivo  ico  which  still  bound  tht 
Arctic  Sea.  Tho  ico  coininoncod  to  grind  and  crush  • 
the  wutor  to  diish  to  and  1  Vo ;  and  Iho  vessel  to  rise 
and  descend  in  a  range  of  Hevenleon  feet  per  day. 
On  tho  20th  a  deput-]>urty  wjis  nent  out,  prepaiatory 
to  tho  commencenient  of  tlio  operations  of  tlio  sum- 
mer. Those  wlio  remained  in  the  ship  commenced 
to  clean  it,  to  (alvo  down  tlie  forward  bulwarks  and  to 
clear  tlie  dcvks.  Tlie  necessary  pre]>arati()ns  for  in- 
land trips  and  reisoarclies  were  nuide  ;  sledges  and 
accoutrements  were  contrived,  and  moccasins  were 
fabricated.  AVhilo  these  labors  occupied  their  atten- 
tion, a  portion  of  tho  depot  inivty  suddenly  reap 
peared  at  the  vesael.  Tifey  brouglit  back  a  terrible 
report.  Tlioy  had  left  four  of  their  number  lying  on 
the  ice  f'  zan  and  disabled,  and  they  had  rotivn)HCJI  » 
great  distance  to  obtain  instant  relief. 

Not  a  moment  was  to  be  lost.  Ohisei;,  tnci  only 
one  of  the  returned  party  who  seemed  able  to  giva 
any  information,  was  wra})ped  up  in  bulialo  robes  au'i 
placed  upon  a  fledge.  JNino  men  started  out  1o  tho 
rescue.  The  cold  was  intense,  ranging  seventy-eight 
degrees  below  the  freezing  point.  The  instant  the 
party  ceased  to  move  the}  would  have  been  frozo^  to 
deatli.  Violent  exercise  alone  kept  them  alive. 
When  they  ventured  to  apply  snow  to  their  lips  to 
slake  their  thirst,  it  burnt  like  caustic,  and  blood  im- 
mediately followed.  iSome  of  tho  men  were  seized 
with  trembling  lits,  and  some  with  attacks  of  short 
breath.  Dr.  Raue  himself,  fainted  twice  upon  the 
snow  under  tho  intense  cold. 

After  a  laborious  and  dangerous  journey  of  twenty- 
one  hours,  the  lost  party  were  discovered.  They  were 
nearly  forty  miles  distant  from  the  brig.  Their  con- 
dition was  perilous  in  the  extreme ;  and  the  succor 
did  not  come  a  moment  too  soon.  But  the  rescuers 
were  scarcely  better  otf  than  the  rescued.  They  were 
compelled  to  drag  a  load  of  nine  hundied  pounds 
apou  the  sledge ;  and  during  their  return  trip  tho 


.■  i- 


DB.  KAHB'B  KXrEDITK^V. 


488 


whole  party  were  in  imininont  danger  of  befn^  frozen 
to  doam.  Tlioy  could  witli  tlio  utinr  Ht  difflcnltj  roRist 
tlio  diflposition  to  Hloop,  wliicli  would  luivo  immediate- 
ly Hcjiled  their  fate.  After  a  feajful  journey  of  Hev- 
(jral  (l.'iys  the  ])!irty  ro;]jairicd  the  hr!;; ;  hut  the  suffer- 
ings of  that  terrihlo  oeciHion  were  almost  heyond  the 
])ower  of  imagination.  Thoy  had  traveled  about 
ninety  miles;  and  most  of  the  men  had  become  tem- 
porarily delirious;  nc^arly  all  were  frozen  in  Bomo 
})oition8  of  their  bodies;  and  two  of  them  nltimjjtely 
died  in  consequence  of  their  exnosure. 

On  the  27t]i  of  April,  the  time  having  arrived  to  con- 
tinue his  rc!searcht!8  both  at'  t  Sir  John  Franklin  an^d 
in  Arctic  discovery,  Dr.  K.vne  determined  to  resume 
his  expeditions.  Ifo  resolved  now  to  follow  the  ice- 
belt  to  the  Great  (ihicier  of  Humboldt,  and  thence  to 
stretch  along  the  faue  of  the  glacier,  toward  the  west 
of  north,  and  make  an  attempt  to  cross  the  ice  to  the 
American  side  of  the  channel.  Tiio  object  of  this 
bold  venture  was  to  attain  the  utmost  limit  of  the 
shore  of  Greenland  ;  to  measure  the  waste  which  ex- 
tended between  it  and  the  unknown  west ;  and  thus 
to  reveal,  if  possible,  some  of  the  mysteries  which 
suri'ouuded  the  North  Pole.  The  journey  was  immo- 
diatoly  commenced.  After  many  adventures  and 
sutierings  which  we  will  not  describe,  the  Great  Gla- 
cier of  Ilumboldt  was  reached.  A  more  magnificent 
object  than  this  does  not  exist  on  the  globe.  It  pre- 
sents a  shining  wall  of  ice  300  feet  in  height,  frown- 
ing over  the  frozen  sea  below,  and  extends  unbroken 
for  sixty  miles.  It  is  the  great  crystal  bridge  which 
has  for  ages  connected  together  the  two  coutmenta  of 
America  and  Greenland,  and  it  extends  from  the  nea 
toward  the  interior,  through  vast  and  unknown 
regions. 

Dr.  Kane  now  determined  to  organize  a  double 
party,  in  order  to  ascertain  whether  a  channel  or  any 
form  of  outlet  existed  to  the  northern  extremi^  of 
the  coast  of  Greenland.    He  wau  couviuced  ox  the 


Y 


I 


i: 


5, 

1 


\ 


Mi. 


1.' 


> 


%■ 
U 


>\'    {- 


^■'Pfl 


4M 


N 


FBOOREBB  OF  ABOTIO  DISOOTEET. 


existence  of  such  a  channel  from  the  movements  of 
the  ice*bergs;  from  the  physical  character  of  the 
tides ;  as  well  as  from  certain  and  uniform  analogies 
of  physical  geography. 

On  the  3a  of  June  one  of  the  parties  of  explora- 
tion set  out  from  the  brig.  They  had  a  large  sledge 
thirteen  feet  long.  They  aimed  directly  for  the  gla- 
cier-barrier on  the  Greenland  side.  Their  orders  were 
to  attempt  to  scale  the  ice  and  examine  the  interior 
of  the  great  mer-de-glace, 

(Jn  the  27th  of  June  one  of  the  parties,  directed  by 
McGarry  and  Bonsall,  returned  to  the  brig.  Several 
of  them  had  become  nearly  blind.  After  twelve 
days'  travel  they  had  reached  the  Great  Glacier. 
They  found  the  depot  of  provisions,  which  had  been 
deposited  the  previous  season,  destroyed  by  the 
bears.  These  brutes  had  broken  open  the  tin  cases 
in  which  the  pemmican  had  been  deposited.  An  al- 
cohol cask  strongly  bound  in  iron  was  dashed  into 
fragments;  and  a  tin  liquor  can  was  mashed  and 
twisted  into  a  ball.  This  party  of  explorers  had 
found  it  impossible  to  scale  the  Great  Glacier,  and 
returned  to  the  brig  without  having  effected  any  re- 
sults of  importance. 

The  other  party,  which  had  been  placed  under  the 

fuidance  of  Mr.  Morton,  left  the  vessel  on  the  4th  of 
une.  On  the  15th  they  reached  the  foot  of  the 
Great  Glacier.  Thejr  steered  northward,  keeping 
parallel  with  the  glacier,  and  from  five  to  seven  miles 
distant  from  it.  The  thickness  of  the  ice  over  which 
thev  journeyed  was  found  to  be  seven  feet  five 
inches.  They  traveled  frequently  with  the  snow  up 
to  thoir  knees.  When  they  had  reached  Peabody 
Bay  they  encountered  the  bergs,  whose  surface  was 
fresh  and  glassy.  Some  of  these  were  rectangular 
in  shape  and  some  were  square ;  and  their  length  va- 
ried from  a  quarter  of  a  mile  to  a  mile.  The  task  of 
traveling  over  these  bergs  was  full  of  difiicaJty  and 


BOL  sAn'B  KZPKDrnxai. 


48« 


danger.  At  length  they  made  their  way  through 
them  to  the  smoother  ice  which  lay  beyond. 

On  the  19th  of  June,  having  encamped,  Morton  as- 
cended  a  high  berg,  in  order  to  examme  their  future 
route  and  survey  the  surrounding  desolation.  From 
this  point  he  beheld  an  extensive  plain  which  stretched 
away  toward  the  north,  which  proved  to  be  the  Great 
Glacier  of  Humboldt,  as  it  appeared  toward  the  in- 
terior, which  also  fronted  on  the  bay.  From  this 
point  the  advance  of  the  party  was  perilous.  They 
were  frequently  arrested  by  wide  and  deep  fissures  in 
the  ice.  This  difficulty  compelled  them  to  turn  to- 
ward the  west.  Some  of  these  chasms  were  four  feet 
wide,  and  contained  water  at  the  bottom.  From  this 
point  they  beheld  the  distant  northern  shore,  termed 
the  "  "West  Laud."  Its  appearance  was  mountainous 
and  rolling.  Its  distance  from  them  seemed  to  be 
about  sixty  miles. 

At  length,  by  the  21st  of  June,  the  party  reached 
a  point  opposite  the  termination  of  the  Great  Glacier. 
It  appeared  to  be  mixed  with  earth  and  rocks.  T^av* 
eliug  on,  they  reached  at  length  the  head  of  Kennedy 
channel,  and  saw  beyond  that  the  open  water.  Passing 
in  their  route  a  cape,  they  called  it  Cape  Andrew  Jack- 
son. Here  they  found  good  smooth  ice ;  for  during 
the  last  few  days  they  had  passed  over  rotten  ice, 
which  not  unfrequently  threatened  to  break  beneath 
them.  Having  entered  the  curve  of  a  bay,  they 
named  it  after  Robert  Morris,  the  peat  financier  of 
the  revolution.  On  *^  3  smooth  ice  m  this  vicinity  the 
party  advanced  at  the  rate  of  six  miles  per  hour. 

Kennedy  Channel  here  grew  narrower,  but  after- 
ward it  widened  again.  Broken  ice  in  large  masses 
was  floating  in  it ;  but  there  were  passages  fifteen 
miles  in  width,  which  remained  perfectly  clear.  Six 
miles  inward  from  the  channel,  mountains  rose  to  the 
view.  On  the  22d  of  June  they  encamped,  aftei  hav- 
ing traveled  forty-eight  miles  in  a  direct  Une.  They 
were  still  upon  the  shores  of  the  chanueL    Thej  could 


;  i 


1 


il 


ftsa 


PBOOBBBS  OF  AACmO  DIBOOYERT. 


plainly  bco  tlio  opposito  shore,  wliich  appeared  pro* 
cipitons,  and  Bnrjnounted  witli  sngar-lojif  shaped 
mountains.  At  this  ))art  of  their  journoy  they  en- 
countered a  Pohir  bear,  with  lier  cub.  A  despevato 
fight  ensued,  in  whlcli  tlie  singular  instincts  of  niituro 
were  strikingly  illustrate<l,  by  tho  desperate  ellorts 
mado  by  tho  poor  brute  to  i)rotect  her  helpless  oll- 
Bpring.  Both  were  slain.  A  sliallow  bay  covered 
with  ICO  was  then  crossed.  They  passed  several  isl- 
ands which  lay  in  the  channel,  which  they  named 
after  Sir  John  Franklin  and  Captain  Crozier.  Tiie 
clilFs  which  hero  constituted  tho  shore  of  tho  clian- 
nol  were  very  high,  towering  at  least  two  thou- 
sand feet  above  itc  surface.  The  party  attempted  to 
ascend  these  clilfs;  but  found  it  impossible  to  mount 
more  than  a  few  hundred  feet.  On  the  highest  point 
which  they  attained,  a  walking  polo  was  fastened, 
witti  the  Grinnell  Hag  of  the  Antartlc  attached  to  it; 
and  thus  for  an  hour  and  a  half  this  standard  was  per- 
mitted to  wave  over  the  highest  northern  region  of 
thfi  earth  ever  attained  by  tlie  foot  of  man. 

They  here  encountered  a  cape,  and  the  party  do- 
sired  to  pass  around  it,  in  order  to  ascertain  whether 
there  lay  any  unknown  laud  beyond  it.  But  they 
found  it  impossible  to  advance.  This  then  was  the 
utmost  limit  and  termination  of  their  journey  toward 
tho  pole.  Mr.  Morton  ascended  an  eminence  liere, 
and  carefully  scrutinized  tho  aspects  of  nature  all 
around  him.  Six  degrees  toward  the  west  of  north, 
he  observed  a  lofty  peak,  truncated  in  its  form,  and 
about  three  thousand  feet  in  height.  This  elevation 
is  named  Mount  Edward  Parry,  after  tho  great  pio- 
neer of  Ai'ctic  adventure ;  and  is  tho  most  extreme 
northern  point  of  land  known  to  exist  upon  tho  globe. 
From  the  position  which  Mr.  Morton  had  attained, 
he  beheld  toward  the  north,  from  an  elevation  of  four 
hundred  feet,  a  boundless  waste  of  waters  stretching 
away  towai'd  tho  polo.  Kot  a  particle  of  ice  eucum- 
bei'ed  its  smfaco.    He  heard  the  dashing  of  uufrozeu 


Ui- 


m 


DB.  KANE*(  BXPEDrnOV. 


4«7 


waves,  and  beheld  ft  rolling  flnrf  liko  that  of  more 
peiital  climcfl,  rush ini!^  and  dashinfij  against  the  rocka 
nT»on  the  Hli(>r(\  This  was  certainly  a  myBtorioua 
liliononicnon.  IIoic;  wan  a  lliiid  sea,  in  tho  midst  of 
wliolt;  contincntH  of  ice,  and  tliat  sea  socraed  to  wash 
tlic  Pole  ilFclf.  Tlio  eye  of  tlie  cxjdorcr  surveyed  at 
Ica^t  forty  inilcsof  uuititci/iiptcd  water  in  a  northern 
direction.  The  ])oint  thus^  reached  in  this  oxjdoring 
exjicdition,  was  about  five  hundi'cd  miles  distant  from 
the  Pole.  Had  the  party  been  aide  to  convey  thither 
a  boat,  they  iiiii;lit  iiave  embarked  npon  tho  bright 
and  j>lacid  waters  of  that  lonely  ocean.  But  having 
been  able  to  make  this  journey  only  with  the  sledffo, 
further  explorations  were  of  course  impossible.  Tlie 
most  remarkable  development  connected  with  these 
discoveries  was,  that  the  temperature  was  here  found 
to  bo  much  more  moderate  than  it  was  further  south. 
Marine  birds  sailed  through  the  heavens.  Rippling 
waves  followed  eacli  other  on  the  surface  of  the  deep. 
A  few  stunted  flowers  grew  over  the  barren  and 
rocky  shore.  The  inference  which  may  be  drawn 
from  these  and  other  facts  is,  that  this  open  sea, 
termed  the  Polar  Basin,  stretches  to  the  Pole  itself, 
or  at  least  continues  a  great  distance  until  its  course 
is  interrupted  by  other  projections  of  the  terra  iirma. 
These  are  mysterious  inquiries,  still  the  great  desid- 
erata of  Arctic  travel ;  wnich  wiil  remain  unanswered, 
until  some  more  successful  explorer,  gifted  with 
greater  physical  endurance,  if  any  such  can  be,  and 
turnished  with  ampler  and  more  abundant  facilities 
than  any  of  his  predecessors,  shall  persist  in  defiance 
of  every  impediment  in  advancing,  until  he  boldly 
plants  his  foot  upon  the  very  spot  now  termed  the 
North  Pole. 

The  several  parties  which  had  been  sent  forth  by 
Dr.  Kane,  to  explore  tho  regions  just  described,  hav- 
ing returned,  tho  season  of  Arctic  travel  had  nearly 
terminated,  and  the  members  of  the  expedition  were 
about  to  relapse  into  winter  quarters,  with  their  usual 


if-i-i*     » 


.,   u       ,, 


a 


:|;*l 
%! 


488 


nooBBBB  Of  Alono  zmoomnr. 


darknoss,  monotony,  and  ffloom.  But  before  resign- 
ing themselves  entirely  to  this  unwelcome  seclusion, 
Dr.  Kane  resolved  to  make  an  effort  to  roach  Beecliey 
Island.  At  this  point,  already  so  frequently  referred 
to  in  the  preceding  pages,  Sir  Edward  Belcher's 
squadron  was  then  supposed  to  be  stationed;  and 
from  them  the  American  explorers  might  obtain 
both  provisions  and  information.  Accordingly,  Dr. 
Kane  manned  his  boat,  called  the  "Forlorn  llope," 
which  was  twenty-three  feet  long,  and  six  foot  and  a 
half  beam.  Tlie  necessary  amount  of  provisions  were 
placed  on  board,  and  the  bold  venture  was  undertaken. 
Sometimes  the  boat  was  navigated  through  the  un- 
frozen channels  of  water,  which  intervened  between 
the  floes  of  ice ;  at  others  she  was  placed  on  a  large 
sledge  called  the  "  Faith,"  and  thus  transported  over 
the  Irozeu  wastes. 

This  party  approached  Littleton  Island,  which  had 
been  visited  by  Captain  In^letield.  They  here  ob- 
tained a  vast  quantity  of  eidor  ducks.  They  then 
passed  Flagstaff  Point  and  Oombermere  Oape.  Then 
came  Oape  Isabella  and  Cape  Frederick  VII  On 
the  23d  of  July  they  reached  Hakluyt  Island;  and 
thence  they  steered  for  Cary  Islands.  But  on  the 
Slst  of  July,  when  they  had  reached  a  point  but  ten 
miles  distant  from  Cape  Parry,  their  further  progress 
was  absolutely  stopped.  A  Bolid  mass  of  ice  lay  be- 
fore them  on  the  sea,  extendiug  as  far  as  the  eye 
could  reach.  This  barrier  was  composed  of  the  vast 
seas  of  ice  which  had  drifted  through  Jones'  Sound  on 
the  west,  and  those  of  Murchison^  on  the  east.  The 
adventurers  were  now  compelled  to  retrace  their 
way.  About  the  Ist  of  August  they  regained  the 
brie,  without  having  met  with  any  accident,  but  also 
witL>ut  having  succeeded  in  attaming  the  object  of 
theii  excursion.  They  found  the  **  Advance"  just  as 
tightly  wedded  into  the  ice  as  it  had  been  during  the 
preoeding  eleven  months,  with  no  hope  of  getting 
Mr  released.    Two  important  questions  now  demanf 


i' 


OS.  Kimf i  smDRxcnr, 


489 


be- 


ed  their  attention.  The  first  was.  how  thej  were  to 
pass  this,  thoir  second  winter  in  tne  Arctic  regions; 
and  how  they  wore  to  malce  their  escape  in  the  ensn- 
ing  Bpring. 

w  hatever  might  bo  the  issue  of  the  future,  Dr.  Kane 
dotermiuod  to  leave  a  memorial  at  the  spot  which 
ho  then  occupied,  to  prove  to  his  successors  the  fact 
that  he  and  his  expedition  had  been  there.  He  paint> 
ed  the  words  "Advance,  A.  D.  1853-54,"  upon  the 
broad  face  of  a  rock,  which  rested  on  a  high  cliff  look- 
ing out  upon  the  frozen  waste.  Near  this  spot  a  hole 
was  drilled  into  the  rock,  and  a  paper  containing  a 
history  of  tlio  expedition  and  its  present  condition, 
was  placed  in  glass,  and  sealed  into  the  cavity  with 
melted  lead.  Close  at  hand  were  buried  the  corpses 
of  the  two  members  of  the  expedition  who  had  al- 
ready ended  their  toils  and  sufferings. 

The  prospect  of  a  second  winter  amid  the  eternal 
snows  and  ice  of  the  Polar  Circle,  was  not  inviting  to 
tho  adventurers.  A  portion  of  them  felt  convinced 
of  the  practicability  of  an  immediate  escape  to  the 
south.  On  the  24th  of  August  Dr.  Kane  summoned 
ail  hands  together,  and  clearly  stated  to  them  the  as- 
uects  of  the  case.  He  advisea  that  all  should  remain 
oy  the  brig  till  the  next  spring ;  although  he  declared 
that  those  who  wished  to  return  could  make  the  at- 
tempt. Eight  men  concluded  to  remain ;  and  nine 
of  them  resolved  that,  rather  than  endure  tlie  miseries 
of  a  second  winter  near  the  Pole,  they  would  run  the 
risks  of  an  instant  attempt  to  escape.  This  resolution 
they  made  immediate  preparations  to  execute.  A 
full  share  of  the  remaining  provisions  was  measured 
out  to  them.  They  were  assured  of  a  welcome  re- 
ception if  they  chose  to  return;  and  they  started 
forth  on  August  28th  from  the  brig.  One  of  this 
pai'ty  returned  to  the  vessel  in  a  few  days ;  the  rest 
wandered  for  manv  months,  and  endured  much  misery 
and  exposui'e,  betore  thev  rejoined  their  wiser  ooqd 
rades  in  the  brig. 


1. 


u 


if 


ft90 


PB00ft£8S  or  ABOTIO  DISOOTERT. 


Dr.  Kane  and  the  eight  men  who  remained  with 
him,  immediately  began  to  prepare  for  the  horrors  of 
the  ensuing  winter.  They  gathered  a  large  amount 
of  moss  with  which  they  lined  and  padded  the  quar- 
ter-deck. This  expedient  rendered  their  cabin  imper- 
ious to  the  changes  and  the  extreme  severity  of  the 
atmosphere.  They  stripped  oft'  the  outer-deck  plank- 
ing of  the  brig,  for  the  purpose  of  fire-wood.  The 
chief  necessity  of  the  explorers  was  fresh  meat,  to 
guard  them  against  the  scurvy.  To  obtain  this  food, 
Irequent  excursions  were  made  for  the  purpose  of  cap- 
turing seals.  On  one  of  tliose  occasions  Dr.  Kane 
narrowly  escaped  a  watery  grave.  lie  was  at  twelve 
miles'  distance  from  the  brig,  with  a  single  attendant. 
The  ice  broke  beneath  their  sledge,  and  they  were 
precipitated  into  the  water.  After  great  exertions 
and  amid  extreme  danger,  they  succeeded  in  regain- 
ing ice  sufficiently  strong  to  bear  tlieir  weight.  They 
lost  their  sledge,  tent,  kayack,  guns,  and  snow-shoes. 

At  length,  hy  the  21st  of  October,  the  rays  of  the 
Bun  had  ceased  to  reach  them;  and  darkness — the 
cold  and  cheerless  darkness  of  an  Aictic  night  settled 
down  upon  them.  They  were  compelled  to  confine 
themselves  to  the  precincts  of  their  gloomy  cabin, 
and  waste  away  as  best  they  could,  the  slow  hours 
of  their  long  winter.  Their  oniy  light  was  an  occa- 
sional aurora,  whose  pale,  bright  arch  of  brilliant  hues 
seemed  to  be  resting  on  the  distant  Tole.  The  ther- 
mometer now  ranged  34°  below  zero.  Thus,  in  this 
strange  monotony  of  routine  and  incident,  November 
and  December  wore  away ;  except  that  during  the 
latter  month,  a  portion  of  the  party  who  had  deserted 
the  brig  on  the  28th  of  August  previous,  returned  to 
their  old  quarters.  They  had  suffered  much;  and 
had  left  the  remainder  of  their  party  two  hundred 
miles  distant  in  the  midst  of  great  destitution.  The 
thermometer  was  then  fifty  degrees  below  zero.  When 
Christmas  came  it  was  celebrated  for  the  second  time 
by  this  gallant  crew  ot  heroes,  amid  the  Arctic  soli 


DB.  Kline's  ExPEDmoir. 


401 


bimo 
Isoli 


tados,  with  snch  moans  as  they  conld  command-- 
which  indeed  wore  few ;  and  thus  ended  with  them 
tho  year  1854. 

The  three  most  daiigorous  and  dreary  months  of 
the  year — January,  February,  and  March — were  now 
before  them.  During  these  months  it  was  exceeding 
ly  difficult  for  the  adv'enturers  to  procure  fresh  meat, 
which  was  their  only  preventive  and  cure  of  scurvy. 
With  this  disease  every  member  of  the  party  became 
at  last  infected;  some  so  seriously  that  tneir  lives 
were  in  danger.  Thus  the  dreary  drama  of  their  Arc- 
tic exile  dragged  on.  They  waited  patiently  for  the 
time  to  arrive  when  they  could  commence  the  neces- 
sary preparations  for  the  journey  of  thirteen  hundred 
miles  which  they  would  undertake  in  the  sprinw. 
The  vessel  would  evidently  remain  so  firmly  fixed  m 
an  ocean  of  i«>e,  that  its  removal  would  be  utterly  im-- 
possible.  Their  return  must  be  etfected  with  the  com- 
bined use  of  sledges  and  boats.  Yet  before  commenc- 
ing a  final  retreat.  Dr.  Kane  resolved  to  attempt  once 
more  a  northern  excursion,  hoping  that  it  might  re- 
sult in  some  useful  discovery  connected  with  Sie  ob- 
ject of  the  expedition. 

The  region  which  was  yet  to  bo  explored  was  tho 
farther  shores  beyond  Kennedy  Chaaricl.  The  aid  of 
tho  dogs  was  indispensable  to  the  accomplishment 
of  this  task ;  and  there  were  but  four  left  out  of  tho 
sixty-two,  wliich  composed  thair  stock  when  they  left 
Newfoundland.  An  arrangeueut  was  however  mado 
with  Kalutunah,  one  of  the  «randering  Esquimaux 
whom  they  knew,  for  the  uskj  of  his  dogs  and  three 
sledges.  Thus  reontbrced,  I>  Kane,  accompanied  by 
several  experienced  Esquimaux  travelers,  commenced 
his  journey.  In  two  houre  ti.«y  reached  a  lofty  berg 
fifteen  miles  north  of  the  brig  Tho  view  of  tho  chan- 
nel presented  from  the  sumn  it  of  this  berg  waa  not 
very  favorable.  The  outside  channel  seeired  filled 
witn  squeezed  ice ;  and  on  Une  frozen  plain  bojondf 
the  bergs  appeared  o  be  mucai  distorted. 


!i'f 


i 


i 


Tji 


J        » 

II 


tl'  i,' 


P:1  ' 


f  , 


PBOOESBS  OF  ASCna  PTSOOTKBT. 

NeTertheless,  Dr.  Kane  resolved  to  make  the  Ten* 
tare.  They  quickly  paseod  fifteen  miles'  further; 
when  the  party  halted  to  feed  and  rest.  The  jonmey 
was  then  resumed.  But  unfortunately  the  traces  of 
a  Polar  bear  soon  attracted  the  attention  of  the  Esnni- 
manz,  and  the  temptation  was  too  strong  for  famished 
men  to  resist.  A  chase  ensued.  The  animal  was 
qpickly  brought  to  bay,  attacked,  and  dispatched. 
Then  ensned  another  gorge,  and  afler  the  gorge  there 
necessarily  came  an  interval  of  reposA  and  sleep. 

A  sleep  of  four  hours'  duration  ensued  upon  the 
open  snow ;  after  which  the  i)arty  arose  and  resumed 
their  journey.  Dr.  Kane  dcsiroa  to  steer  directly  to 
the  northward ;  but  his  associates  declared  that  to 
cross  so  hiffh  up  as  they  then  were,  was  impossible. 
The  fate  of  Baker  and  Schubert  in  the  preceding  year, 
who  attempted  this  feat,  recurred  to  their  recollec- 
tion, and  convinced  them  that  the  attempt  would  be 
then  extremely  hazardous.  Again  was  the  leader  of 
the  expedition  fated  to  experionco  a  disappointment, 
and  to  return  to  the  brig  without  having  accomplished 
the  purpose  for  which  he  set  forth.  But  beiore  he 
did  so,  he  embraced  tlie  opportunity  which  was  with- 
in his  reach,  once  more  to  examine  the  Great  Hum- 
boldt Glacier,  one  of  the  most  remarkable  monuments 
in  nature.  The  whole  horizon  before  him  was  bound- 
ed bv  long  lines  of  ice-bergs.  They  undulated  about 
the  horizon,  but  as  they  descended  to  the  sea,  they 
resembled  an  uneven  plain  with  an  inclination  of 
about  nine  degrees,  still  diminishing  as  they  ap- 
proached the  foreground.  Vast  crevasses  appeared  in 
the  distance  like  mere  wrinkles.  These  grew  larger 
as  they  approached  the  sea,  where  they  expanded  in- 
to ffigantic  stairways. 

The  appearance  of  this  Great  Humboldt  Glacier 
resembles  in  some  respects  the  frozen  masses  of  the 
Alps ;  and  reminded  the  bold  adventurer  of  many 
scenes  which  he  had  witnessed  in  the  mountains  of 
Norway  and  Swltieriand.    The  average  height  of 


DB.  KANB'S  EXPEDITIQV. 


493 


this  ^eat  etacior  along  the  water's  edge  was  abont 
three  hunurod  foct ;  and  this  height  was  presented 
by  an  uniform  perspective  of  sixty  miles  in  length ; 
thus  exhibiting  one  of  the  most  sublime  and  imposing 
spectacles  which  the  mind  can  conceive.  Tlie  config- 
urations of  its  surface  and  form  clearly  indicate  that 
its  inequalities  follow  those  of  the  rocky  soil  on  which 
it  rests.  Having  made  various  observations  upon  the 
phenomena  connected  with  this  glacier,  Dr.  Kane  re- 
sumed his  return  toward  the  brig.  Tiio  company 
traveled  over  the  frozen  surface  of  tlie  ice  to  the  south 
of  Peabody  Bay.  The  lirat  spot  at  which  they  landed 
was  called  Cape  James  Kent.  It  was  a  rugged  and 
lofty  headlancf ;  and  it  presented  in  the  distance  a 
strange  spectacle  of  arutie  surface,  covered  with  mil- 
lions of  tons  of  rubbish,  rocks  of  every  imaginable 
Bhape,  and  slates  of  immense  size  and  of  infinite  va- 
riety of  forms.  On  the  south-eastern  corner  of  Mar- 
shall Bay  the  party  found  a  group  of  Esquimaux  re- 
mains, consisting  ot  a  few  deserted  huts  and  graves. 
Tliey  were  the  rude  and  melancholy  relics  of  a  race 
of  lonely  wanderers  who  had  passed  away.  These 
remains  were  surrounded  by  the  hones  of  the  seal  and 
the  walrus,  and  the  dissevered  vertebrae  of  a  whale. 
There  were  indications  that  the  spot  had  long  been 
deserted ;  and  yet  no  changes  had  been  eftbcted  by 
the  silent  lapse  of  time  in  those  frozen  and  primeval 
solitudes,  in  the  appearance  and  position  of  these 
simple  monuments. 

This  journey  was  enlivened  by  several  interesting 
bear  hunts ;  and  a  few  details  respecting  this  Arctic 
entertainment  may  here  not  be  inappropriate. 

The  dogs  with  which  these  hunts  are  carried  on, 
are  very  carefully  trained  to  play  their  part.  This 
part  is  not  to  attack  the  bear,  but  to  hinder  and  im- 

Eede  his  flight.  While  ono  of  these  dogs  occupies 
is  attention  in  front,  another  salutes  his  hind  tegs 
with  vigorous  bites.  This  keeps  the  animal  oscilia- 
ting  between  several  distinct  parties  of  foes ;  and  wliili 


■^wmmim 


M 
iff 


in,  ii  , 


St 

-'V 


fill 


„u 


4&I 


FB00BE8B  OF  ABOTIO  DISOOTEET. 


he  Is  battling  with  one  and  the  other,  the  hunteri 
come  np.  In  the  iirst  instance,  as  soon  as  the  bear 
sees  the  approach  of  tho  dogs  and  men,  he  rises  on 
his  haunches,  carefully  inspects  his  foes  for  a  mo- 
ment, and  then  takes  to  his  heels.  As  the  hunter  ap- 
proaches him,  if  he  is  riding  on  his  tslodge  he  loosens 
the  traces  of  his  two  foremost  dogs,  wliich  releases 
them  from  their  burden,  and  enables  them  to  attack 
the  bear.  Soon  after,  the  rest  of  tho  dogs  are  libera- 
ted in  the  same  way.  When  there  are  two  hunters, 
bruin  is  soon  and  easily  dispatched.  They  surround 
him,  and  while  one  of  them  protends  to  stab  him  with 
a  spear  on  the  right  side,  and  thus  engages  the  bear 
in  his  defense  in  that  direction,  the  death  wound  is 
inflicted  on  the  left  by  tho  same  weapon.  If  there 
be  but  one  hunter,  the  task  is  neither  so  easy  nor  so 
safe.  The  hunter  grasps  his  lance  tirmly  in  his  hands, 
and  provokes  the  bear  to  pursue  him  by  rilnuing 
across  his  path,  and  then  ])retending  to  ilee.  When 
the  bear  has  begun  the  chase,  tho  hunter  suddenly 
doubles  on  his  track  by  a  dexterous  leap ;  and  while 
the  bear  is  in  the  act  of  turning  around,  he  is  stabbed 
with  the  spear  in  his  left  side  below  the  shoulder. 
if  this  stab  be  skillfully  executed,  the  bear  ia  at  once 
disabled  and  soon  expires.  If  it  is  not,  the  hunter 
has  then  to  run  for  his  life,  alter  leaving  his  spear 
sticking  in  the  side  of  his  victim.  If  the  bear  geta 
the  hunter  in  his  grasp,  he  salutes  him  with  divers 
hugs  and  squeezes,  which  aro  much  more  vigorous 
and  affectionate  than  agreeable,  lie  sometimes  also 
uses  his  teeth.  Dr.  Kane  saw  some  Esquimaux  liuu- 
ters  who  had  been  bitten  behind  in  tho  calves  ot  the 
legs;  and  another  who  had  received  a  similar  saluLu 
somewhat  higher  up. 

Having  returned  to  tho  brig.  Dr.  Kane  resumed 
his  preparations  for  llual  departure.  Frozen  fast  as 
she  was  in  the  ice,  there  was  no  possibility  of  remov- 
ing her.  The  only  possible  means  of  escijipe  was  by 
the  oombined  uae  oi  boats  and  sledges.    The  pai'ty 


DB.  Kim's  BXPEDrnOH. 


49ft 


wont  to  work  indnstrionsly  in  the  mannfactare  of 
clothing  snitable  to  tho  journey.  Canvas  moccaains 
were  made  for  each  of  the  party,  and  a  surplus  sup- 
ply of  throe  dozen  was  added  to  the  stock.  Their 
Doots  were  made  of  carpeting,  with  soles  of  walrus  or 
seal  hide,  and  some  had  been  fabricated  from  the 
chafing  gear  of  tho  brig.  Otlier  portions  of  their 
clothing  wore  made  out  of  blankets.  Every  one  act- 
ed as  his  own  tailor.  Their  bedding  was  made  out 
of  the  woolen  curtjiinawith  which  their  berths  in  tho 
brig  bad  been  adorned.  These  were  quilted  with 
eider  down,  and  buffalo  robes  were  added  to  increaso 
their  warmth. 

Their  provision  bags  consisted  of  sail-cloth,  made 
water-tight  by  the  application  of  tar  and  pitch.  Thoy 
were  of  various  sizes,  so  as  to  be  more  conveniently 
stowed  away  in  the  boats.  The  ship-bread  was  pow- 
dered by  being  beaten  with  a  capstan-bar,  and  then 
pressed  down  into  tlie  bags.  Fork-fat  and  tallow 
being  melted  down,  were  poured  into  other  bags  as 
into  moulds,  and  thus  left  to  freeze.  Concentrated 
bean-Boup  was  cooked  up  and  prepared  in  tho  same 
way.  The  flour  and  meat-bisouit  wore  protected 
from  moisture  in  double  bags.  Dr.  Kane's  plan  was 
to  subsist  his  party  for  some  time  after  they  loft  tho 
brig,  by  new  supplies  of  provisions  which  ho  could 
bring  u'om  tho  vessel  by  trips  with  his  dog-team. 

Tho  means  of  conveyance  which  were  to  carry  tho 
company  on  this  long  and  weary  journey,  and  which 
wero  to  bo  carried  by  them  in  a  great  measure,  con- 
sisted of  three  boats.  These  had  all  suffered  very 
materially  from  exposure  to  the  ice  and  tho  Arctic 
storms ;  and  wero  scarcely  sea-worthy.  They  wore 
strengthened  and  tinkered  in  every  possible  way  by 
oak  bottom-pieces,  and  by  wash-boards  which  protect- 
ed the  gunwales  and  gave  them  greater  depth.  A 
housing  of  canvas  was  stretched  upon  a  ridge  lino, 
which  was  suspended  by  stanchions,  and  which  were 
fiistoued  over  the  iides  of  the   boats  to  jack-stayi. 


raoo: 


ov  ABono  dhootsbt* 


ll.h 


':<'■■ 


Each  boat  had  a  single  mast,  and  it  was  bo  arranged 
that  it  conld  be  oAsily  nnsbippod,  and  carried  along* 
side  the  boat.  The  boats  were  mounted  on  sledges. 
The  provisions  were  stored  carefully  under  the  thwarts. 
The  boats  were  to  be  drawn  by  the  men  with  me-rad* 
dies,  or  straps,  which  passed  over  the  shoulder  and 
were  attached  by  a  long  trace  to  the  sledge.  The 
philosophical  instruments  were  carefully  boxed  and 
padded,  and  placed  in  the  stern-slieets  of  one  of  the 
Doats.  Spy-glasses  and  small  instruments  the  trav- 
elers carried  on  their  persons.  The  powder  and  shot, 
WiLich  now  became  of  infinite  value  to  them,  were  dis- 
tributed in  bags  and  tin  canisters.  The  percussion 
caps,  the  most  valuable  of  all.  Dr.  Kane  himself  took 
charge  of  and  reserved. 

Having  made  all  the  preparations  which  werepos- 
iible  under  the  circumstances  of  the  case.  Dr.  Kane 
announced  to  his  crew  that  he  appointed  the  17th  of 
May  as  the  day  of  their  final  departure  from  the  brig. 
Each  man  was  allowed  to  select  and  retain  eight 
pounds  of  personal  cfiects.  The  announcement  of 
their  final  departure  toward  the  south  was  not  received 
by  the  members  of  the  expedition  with  the  OLthusiasm 
which  Dr.  Kane  had  expected.  Some  doubted  the 
reality  of  the  journey  home ;  and  suspected  that  it 
was  merely  a  maneuver  to  remove  the  sick  to  the 
hunting  grounds.  Others  thought  that  the  real  pur- 
pose was  only  to  journey  further  south,  whilst  the 
bri^  was  retained  as  a  refuse  for  them  to  retreat  to ; 
while  others  suspected  that  their  leader  merely 
wished  to  reach  some  point  on  the  coast  where  he 
could  obtain  a  rescue  from  passing  whalers,  or  from 
some  of  the  English  Arctic  expeditions  which  were 
fitiil  sujpposed  to  be  lingering  in  those  remote  regions. 
The  sicK  among  the  crew,  who  had  long  been  accus- 
tomed to  inaction  rndindiUgence,  declared  themselves 
unfit  to  be  removed,  and  unable  to  travel  a  mile. 

But  in  spite  of  all  these  obstacles,  the  resolation  of 
Ihe  commander  of  the  vxpeditioQ  was  unalterable. 


ni.  KAiri't  KCPBDrnoiv. 


49T 


He  was  determhied  to  commence  this  memorable 
journey  on  the  day  appointed,  at  all  hazards.  At 
length  the  day  preceding  that  of  departure  arrived. 
The  boats  were  removed  from  tlie  brig  and  placed 
upon  the  ice.  This  process  seemed  to  revire  to  some 
degree  the  desponding  spirits  of  the  men.  The  pro- 
visions were  then  conveyed  into  them ;  and  other 
necessary  transfers  were  made.  After  some  hours  of 
active  operations,  the  whole  of  their  task  was  com- 
pleted ;  and  the  men  returned  on  board  the  brig)  in 
order  to  spend  their  last  ni^ht  in  that  familiar 
slielter.  After  sujjper  thev  retired  to  rest,  in  order  to 
recruit  their  energies  for  the  toils  which  were  to  com- 
mence on  the  ensuing  day,  upon  the  final  success  of 
which  their  future  existence  depended. 

At  length  the  wished-for  moment  arrived  when  the 
weary  adventurers  were  to  take  their  last  farewell  of 
the  vessel  which  had  been  associated  with  them  in 
so  many  vicissitudes  and  dangers.  All  hands  were 
assembled  together  in  silence  in  the  winter  chamber. 
The  day  was  Sunday,  and  the  exercises  began  by  the 
reading  of  a  chapter  of  the  scriptures.  Dr.  Kane 
then  took  Sir  John  Franklin's  portrait  from  its  frame, 
and  enclosed  it  in  an  ludia-rubber  scroll.  The  sev- 
eral reports  of  inspection  and  survey  were  then  read, 
which  set  forth  what  results  had  already  been  attained, 
and  contained  the  reasons  which  induced  the  com- 
mander of  the  expedition  to  take  the  steps  which 
were  to  ensue.  He  then  addressed  his  men  in  refer- 
ence to  the  journey  on  which  they  were  about  to  en- 
ter, explaining  its  necessity,  Ihe  method  according  to 
which  it  was  to  be  conducted,  and  the  certainty  of 
final  relief  and  escape  which  it  would  bring  them,  if 
they  resolutely  persisted  in  carrying;  it  oat.  Thirteen 
hundred  miles  of  ice  and  water  lav  between  their 
present  position  and  the  shores  of  rtorth.  Greenland. 
He  closed  by  directing  their  hopes  of  safety,  not  oa- 
titly,  to  that  great  Unseen  Power  who  had  abeady 
rescued  them  from  a  thousand  deaths,  and  who  would 

U» 


mUWMIi! 


•    K' 


m 


498 


raOOBBBS  OFABOnO  DISOOTEXT. 


eontinae  to  be  their  very  present  help  in  everj  time 
of  need. 

The  men  responded  to  the  sentiments  and  purposes 
expressed  by  Dr.  Kane  with  more  enthusiasm  than 
he  seems  to  have  anticipated.    They  drew  up  a  state- 
ment in  which  they  expressed  their  conviction  of  the 
necessity  which  existed  of  abandoning  the  brig;  the 
impossibility  of  remaining  a  third  winter  in  the  ice  ; 
the  obligation  which  rested  on  them  to  convey  the 
sick  carefully  along  with  them ;  and  their  determina- 
tion to  cooperate  with  their  leader  in  his  proposed 
measures  of  escape.    This  statement  was  handed  to 
Dr.  Kane.     He  also  had  prepared  a  narrative  of  the 
considerations  which  induced  him  to  abandon  the  ves- 
sel.   This  he  posted  to  a  stanchion  near  the  gangway, 
so  that  it  might  attract  the  attention  of  any  one  who 
approached  the  vessel.    The  party  then  went  on  deck ; 
the  flags  were  hoisted  to  the  mast-head,  and  lowerea 
again;  the  men  paraded  twice  around  the  brig,  care- 
fully scrutinizing  her  timbers,   associated    in  theii 
minds  with  so  many  pleasing  and  painful  recollec- 
tions ;  and  having  thus  saluted  the  vessel  for  the  last 
time,  they  rushed  away  over  the  ice  toward  the  boats, 
whicn  had  already  been  removed,  filled  with  their 
cargo,  and  made  ready  to  commence  their  homeward 
journey. 

The  whole  return  party  consisted  of  seventeen  per- 
sons, including  Dr.  Kane.  Four  of  these  were  sick, 
and  unable  to  move.  The  rest  were  divided  into  two 
companies,  and  appropriated  to  the  several  boats. 
Dr.  Kane  took  charge  o?  the  dog-tea«,  which  was  to 
bo  used  for  tlio  purpose  of  conveying  provisions  from- 
the  vessel  to  the  crew,  during  the  first  few  days  of 
their  journey.  To  the  boat  called  "Faith,"  McGary, 
Ohlsen,  Bonsall,  Petersen,  and  llickey  were  assigned. 
To  the  "  Hope,"  Morton,  Sontag,  Hiley,  Blake,  and 
Godfrey  were  detailed. 

The  first  stage  of  the  journey  was  to  a  spot  called 
Anoatok,  which  had  been  a  halting  place  in  their  win- 


DB.  KANS's  EXPEDITXOir. 


499 


ter  journeys.  It  was  a  single  hut,  composed  of  rude 
and  heavy  stones,  and  resembled  a  cave  more  than 
it  did  a  house.  Strange  to  say,  this  bleak  and  for- 
lorn corner  of  that  frozen  hemisphere,  the  gloomiest 
and  most  detestable  on  the  whole  face  of  tlie  globe, 
bore  a  name  which  was  imposed  by  the  least  poeti- 
cal of  human  beings,  the  Esquimaux,  which  was  not 
devoid  of  beauty ;  for  Anoatok  in  the  jargon  of  the 
shivering  natives  means  "  the  wind-loved  spot."  It 
was  perched  on  the  extreme  point  ol  a  rocky  promon- 
tory, and  commanded  a  wide  view  of  the  icy  straits, 
both  toward  the  north  and  south. 

Dr.  Kane  had  exerted  himself  to  repair  the  hut,  and 
make  it  tit  to  shelter  the  sick.  He  had  added  a  door 
to  its  broken  outlet,  and  had  introduced  a  stove  and 
stove-pipe.  Other  improvements  had  been  made. 
A  solitary  pane  of  glass,  which  once  had  faced  a 
daguerreotype,  was  inserted  in  the  door,  to  give  a 
scanty  light.  The  provisions  which  had  been  re- 
moved to  this  place  were  eight  hundred  pounds  in 
weight.  Seven  hundred  2)ouuds  still  remained  in  the 
brig,  to  be  removed  by  successive  iourneya  of  the 
dog-team.  The  services  of  these  six  do^s  were  in- 
deed invaluable.  In  addition  to  all  their  previous 
journeys,  they  carried  Dr.  Kane  to  and  fro,  with  a 
well-burdened  sledge,  nearly  eight  iiundrod  miles  du- 
ring the  Urst  two  weeks  after  they  left  the  brig,  be- 
ing an  average  of  iifty-seven  miles  per  day. 

So  feeble  and  reduced  were  the  parties  who  drag- 
ged the  two  boats,  that  they  advanced  but  a  mile  a 
day,  and  on  the  2tl:th  had  only  made  seven  miles. 
The  halts  were  regulated  entirely  by  the  condition 
of  the  men  who  required  longer  rest  at  some  periods 
than  at  others.  The  thermometer  ranged  below  zero, 
and  the  men  slept  at  night  in  the  boats,  protected  by 
their  canvas  coverings.  Had  it  not  been  for  the 
shelter  which  the  hut  at  Anoatok  aiibrded,  the  four 
iick  mon — Goodfellow,  Wilson,  Whipple,  and  Ste- 
phonsoxi — ^they  muat  have  perhJiod.    At  the  timo  ot 


! 


■.^  'r 


>m0  \ 


/I..  ' 


i 


rti-  *1 


800 


nOOBEBS  09  UKTnO  DlgOOTBtT. 


their  removal  into  it,  they  were  so  drawn  np  with  the 
Bcurvy  that  they  wore  wholly  unable  to  move.  Yet 
their  de.ay  in  this  hut  was  extremely  gloomy;  tor 
it  lasted  from  the  time  that  they  were  removed  from 
the  brig,  until  tliey  were  carried  forward  by  the 
sledgo  to  the  boats  which  had  been  dragged  by  their 
respective  crows  in  advance  of  them.  During  this 
interval  they  were  carefully  fed  and  attended  by  Dr. 
Kane. 

Dr.  Kane's  visits  to  the  brig  from  time  to  time,  in 
order  to  obtain  supplies  of  provisions,  were  full  of  in- 
terest to  him.  On  the  first  of  these  he  found  the  ves- 
Bel  already  inhabited  by  an  old  raven,  which  had  often 
been  seen  hovering  around,  and  whom  they  had  called 
Magog.  The  Hre  was  lighted  in  the  galley,  the  pork 
was  molted,  large  batches  of  bread  were  baked,  dried 
apples  were  stewed,  and  then  the  sledge  was  made 
ready  to  return  with  the  load.  Such  was  usually  the 
routine  of  Dr.  Kane's  lonely  visits  to  the  bri^.  Af- 
ter the  lirst  of  these  visits,  when  he  returned  to  the 
^'  wind-loved  spot,"  Anoatok,  with  his  sledge,  he  found 
that  the  sick  who  still  remained  there  had  exhausted 
their  provisions ;  that  their  single  lamp  had  ^one  out  * 
that  the  snow  drifts  had  forced  their  way  m  at  the 
door,  so  that  it  could  not  be  shut ;  that  the  wind  was 
blowing  furiously  through  the  open  tenement ;  and 
that  the  thermometer  ranged  only  thirteen  degrees 
above  zero.  The  iuvaiids  were  disheartened  and  hun- 
gry. A  fire  was  built  with  tarred  rope ;  a  porridge 
was  prepared  for  them  out  of  meat  biscuit  and  pea 
soup ;  the  door  was  fastened  up ;  a  dripping  slab  of 
fat  pork  was  suspended  over  their  lamp  wick ;  and 
then  all  turned  into  ^>heir  sleeping  bags,  after  a  hearty 
though  not  very  savory  meal.  So  overcome  were 
they  all  with  exposure  and  weakness,  that  they  slept 
until  after  all  their  watches  had  run  down. 

Dr.  Kane  then  hurried  forward  to  the  sledge  party, 
who  had  by  that  time  reached  Ten  Mile  Ravine. 
They  were  struggling  with  the  deep  snows,  were  over 


;i  I 


NL  KANB'8  BZFEDrnOV. 


501 


lor 


whelmed  with  fati^e,  and  were  somewhat  di8h<)art< 
ened.  Although  their  feet  were  much  swollon,  they 
had  toiled  that  day  for  fourteen  liours.  Some  were 
suffering  from  snow-blindnesa,  and  were  scarcely 
able  to  work  at  the  drag-ropes.  In  spite  of  all  their 
toils  and  sufferings,  morning  and  evening  prayers 
were  constantly  read  by  the  adventurers.  Meanwhile 
the  sledge  party  advanced  slowly  toward  the  south. 
On  the  28th  Dr.  Kane  paid  his  last  visit  to  the  brig. 
He  was  compelled  to  leave  behind  his  collections  in 
Natural  History,  his  library,  and  some  of  his  instru- 
ments, such  as  his  theoaolite  and  chart-box,  the 
useless  daguerrotypes,  and  other  companions  and 
mementoes  of  Arctic  toil  and  suffering.  Then  he 
mounted  his  sledge ;  gave  a  last  look  at  the  blackened 
hull  and  spars  of  the  Advance;  fiercely  whipped  up 
his  dogs  in  a  paroxysm  of  mournful  gloom;  and 
sped  away  for  the  last  time,  over  the  snowy  waste 
v^hich  had  been  associated  with  so  many  recollec- 
tions. Thus  was  left  behind  at  last  in  its  frozen  bed, 
the  vessel  which  had  been  connected  with  two  Arctic 
expeditions,  one  of  which  is  the  most  remarkable  on 
record ;  and  there  doubtless  she  remains,  an  unseen 
monument  of  human  enterprise,  benevolence,  and 
endurance. 

From  Anoatok  Dr.  Kane's  next  labor  was  to  re- 
move the  provisions  and  men  further  on  in  their  route. 
A  friendly  Esquimaux,  named  Metek,  was  sent  for- 
ward to  the  next  station,  with  two  bags  of  bread-dust, 
each  weighing  ninety  pounds.  The  next  station  was 
Etah  Bay.  About  midnight  Dr.  Kane  approached 
that  vicinity.  The  sun  was  low  in  the  heavens,  and 
the  air  around  was  marked  by  that  peculiar  stillness 
which  accompanies  the  great  solitudes  of  nature. 
While  feeling  the  oppressive  weight  of  that  silence, 
his  ears  were  suddenly  greeted  by  unexpected  sounds 
of  mirth  and  laughter.  He  haa  approached  an  en- 
oampment  of  the  wandering  Esquimaaz,  consisting 
of  about  thirty  men,  womou,  and  children.    The  causa 


flii 


I  iwi  iiiiMiiiiiwiiiimiii 


:s!i 


I,"      1.  ! 


P»ti :  ^ 


■§»!"  •  ; 

5  I  i  1   !  '  •  f 


T  I 


502 


PROGRESS  OF  ABOTIO  DnOOYEBT. 


of  tlieir  joy  was  the  captnre  of  innnmerable  bird% 
called  AnkSj/wliich  they  wore  engaged  in  catching 
with  nets.  Tliese  birds,  thon^hthe  thennometerwaa 
five  degrees  below  zero,  were  flying  about  in  the  great- 
est abundance ;  and  the  hungry  Esquimaux  wore 
eating  them  raw,  as  soon  as  taken.  He  saw  two  chil- 
dren fighting  for  an  owl,  which  as  soon  as  captured 
was  torn  limb  from  limb,  and  its  warm  flesh  e.iten, 
and  its  blood  drunken,  almost  before  life  was  extinct, 
This  was  the  spot  wliich  these  birds  mysteriously 
chose  for  the  purpose  of  breeding,  from  year  to  year; 
and  the  Esquimaux  as  regularly  found  their  way 
thither  in  pursuit  of  them. 

The  travelers  continued  their  weary  march  through 
the  snow,  dragging  their  boats  after  them.  Some- 
times, when  the  weather  moderated — for  it  was  sum- 
mer— the  sledges  broke  through.  Six  men  on  one 
occasion  were  thrown  into  the  water ;  and  the  "  Hope  " 
was  very  nearly  lost.  Help  came  to  them  from  the 
Esquimaux  at  Etah,  who  sent  them  the  loan  of  their 
dogs,  together  with  an  additional  supply  of  fresh  pro- 
visions. The  dogs  were  of  infinite  service  in  drawing 
one  of  the  sledges,  upon  which  the  sick  men  were  con- 
veyed. At  this  period  an  accident  deprived  the  ex- 
pedition by  death  of  one  of  its  most  useful  members. 
W  hile  crossing  a  tide-hole,  one  of  the  runners  of  the 
"Ilope"  sledjj^  broke  through  the  ice.  The  energy 
and  presence  of  mind  of  Christian  Ohlsen  alone  saved 
her  Irom  being  lost.  By  a  prodigious  eflbrt  he  passed 
a  capstan-bar  under  the  sledge,  and  thus  sustained  its 
weight  until  it  was  dragged  forward  to  firm  ice.  In 
doing  this  his  footing  gave  way  beneath  him ;  and  ho 
thus  was  compelled  to  strain  himself.  The  eftbrt 
ruined  him.  Some  internal  injury  had  been  inflicted 
by  the  efibrt ;  and  he  died  three  days  afterward.  Hia 
body  was  sewed  up  in  his  own  blankets,  and  carried 
in  procession  to  the  head  of  a  little  gorge  to  the  east 
of  jPekiutlik,  where  a  grave  was  excavated  in  the 
frozen  eai'th.    There  his  body  was  deposited  with  a 


DE.  KANK  8  KXl'EDITIOH. 


508 


iii 


few  simple  and  appropriate  ceremonies.  His  name 
and  ago  were  inscribed  bv  the  commander  on  a  strip 
of  sheet  lead ;  and  ere  Lis  grave  was  filled  by  his 
comrades,  the  brief  and  touching  memorial  was  laid 
upon  his  manly  breast.  A  small  mound  was  then 
erected  with  rocks  cind  stones  over  his  lonely  resting 
I)lace ;  and  there  now  sleep,  in  tliat  cheerless  and  win 
try  tomb,  the  remains  of  Christian  Ohlsen. 

By  the  6th  of  June  the  party  reached  Littleton 
Island.  From  a  lofty  height  here  of  some  eight  hun- 
dred feet.  Dr.  Kane  obtained  his  first  view  of  the 
open  water,  llis  i)0  -ition  at  that  time  was  78°  22'  1" 
latitude,  and  74°  10'  longitude.  So  weary  were  the  men 
of  dragging  the  pledges  over  the  snow  and  ice,  that 
they  wished  to  take  the  direct  route  to  the  water, 
upon  which  they  were  eager  to  embark  with  the 
boats.  But  the  dangers  of  the  plan  proposed  over- 
ruled their  wishes,  and  the  inland  route,  though  longer, 
was  selected.  The  wished-for  water  which  greeted 
the  eyes  of  tlie  weary  travelers,  was  llartsteiu  Bay ; 
and  they  welcomed  it  with  emotions  of  rapture  re- 
sembling those  which,  as  Xenophon  records,  filled  the 
minds  and  excited  tlie  entliusiasm  of  the  ten  thousand 
Greeks  when,  fiVter  their  long  and  perilous  march 
tlirough  Asia  Minor,  and  their  escape  from  the  myr- 
iads of  Artaxerxes,  they  first  beheld  the  distant 
waves  of  the  sea  whose  billows  laved  the  shores  of 
their  beloved  Greece. 

On  the  16th  of  June  the  party  reached  the  water. 
It  was  at  the  northern  curve  of  the  North  Bufiin  Bay. 
The  surf  roared  sublimely  in  their  ears,  and  sounded 


like  sweet  music  after  their  long  and  cheerless  absence 
from   its  bosom.    The  next  thing  to  bo  done  was  to 

navigation  which 


prepare  the  boats  for  tiie  diificuit 
was  to  ensue.  They  were  not  sea-worthy.  They  had 
been  split  with  frost,  warped  by  the  sunshine,  and 
were  open  at  the  seams.  They  were  to  bo  calked, 
swelled,  launched,  and  stowed.  On  the  18th  th« 
travelers  were  surrounded  by  all  the  Esquimaux  whc 


! 


I; 

M 
It 

:» 

;1 


|i' 


.i: 


m 


I?.' J 


504 


ntOORBBB  OF  ABCrnO  DXBOOTSKT. 


iiad  been  assembled  at  Etah.    They  had  come  to  bid 

the  strangers  farewell,  whom  they  had  served  to  the 
!)est  of  their  ability  at  an  earlier  stage  of  their  jour 
iiey.  They  were  indeed  a  miserable  and  forlorn  race, 
though  kindly  and  confiding  in  their  dispositions. 
They  received  various  presents  and  keepsakes  from 
the  travelers — such  as  knives,  files,  saws,  and  lumps 
of  soap.  They  had  been  of  great  service  in  lending 
hand-sledges  and  dogs ;  in  helping  to  carry  baggage 
and  the  sick  from  one  station  to  another,  along  their 
weary  route ;  and  they  parted  from  the  strangers- 
probably  the  last  they  were  destined  ever  to  behold 
m  that  repulsive  clime  —  with  feelings  of  regret 
which  they  did  not  conceal.  Dr.  Kane  urged  them 
to  emigrate  further  south ;  for  there  they  could  ob- 
tain more  abundant  food,  and  escape  the  perils  of 
starvation  which  constantly  surrounded  them. 

On  the  evening  of  Sunday,  June  17th,  the  party 
hauled  their  boats  through  the  hummocks,  reached 
the  open  sea,  and  launched  their  frail  craft  upon  its 
waters.  But  Eolus  seemed  determined  not  to  per- 
mit them  yet  to  embark ;  for  he  let  loose  his  fiercest 
winds,  which  began  to  dash  a  heavv  wiiid-lipper 
against  the  ice-fioe,  and  obliged  the  party  to  re- 
ixiove  their  boats  back  with  each  new  breakage  of  the 
ice.  The  goods  which  had  been  stacked  upon  the  ice 
were  conveyed  further  inward  to  the  distance  of  sev 
eral  hundred  yards.  The  storm  continued  to  rage, 
and  to  forbid  them  to  venture  on  the  treacherous  ele- 
ment. At  last  Dr.  Kane  saw  the  necessity  of  per- 
mitting the  worn-out  men  to  repose,  and  in  order  to 
do  so  securely,  the  boats  were  removed  a  mile  from 
the  water's  edge.  The  sea  tore  up  the  ice  to  the  very 
base  of  the  berg  to  which  they  had  fied  for  refuge, 
and  the  angry  deep  seemed  like  a  vast  cauldron,  boil- 
ing with  intense  fury,  while  the  immense  fragments 
of  ice  crashed  and  rolled  together  with  a  sound  re« 
sembliug  thunder. 

At  length  the  storm  subsided,  aud  the  troubled  sea 


1^ 


t>B.  KAHB^B  XZFEDinOH. 


505 


became  tranquil.  The  boats  were  again  prepared  for 
embarkation.  -  On  Tuesday,  the  19th,  Dr.  Kane  suc- 
ceeded in  getting  the  Faith  afloat,  and  he  was  soon 
followed  by  the  two  other  boats.  Soon  the  wind 
freshened,  and  the  mariners  began  their  welcome 
progress  homeward;  but  they  had  a  long  and  perilous 
voyage  before  them  of  many  hundred  'miles.  At 
length  they  doubled  Cape  Alexander.  Thoy  desired 
first  to  halt  at  Sutherland  Island ;  but  the  ice-belt 
which  hugged  its  shores  was  too  steep  to  permit  them 
to  land.  They  then  steered  for  Hakluyt  Island,  but 
had  not  proceeded  far  before  the  red  boat  swamped. 
The  crew  were  compelled  to  swim  to  the  other  boats ; 
and  the  former  was  with  difficulty  kept  afloat,  and 
dragged  in  tow  by  her  comrades.  Dr.  Kane  then 
fastened  his  boats  to  an  old  floe ;  aud  thus  sheltered, 
the  men  obtained  their  second  halt  and  rest,  "When 
they  had  become  somewhat  refreshed,  they  rowed  for 
Hakluyt  Island,  at  a  point  less  repulsive  and  imprac- 
ticable than  the  one  attempted  the  day  before.  A 
spit  to  the  southward  gave  them  an  opportunity  to 
haul  up  the  boats  on  the  land-ice,  as  the  tide  rose. 
From  this  the  men  dragged  the  boats  to  the  rocks 
above  and  inland ;  and  were  thus  secure.  It  snowed 
heavily  during  the  ensuing  night.  A  tent  was  pre- 
pared for  the  sick ;  and  a  few  birds  were  luckilv  ob- 
tained to  vary  their  stale  diet  of  bread-dust  and  tallow. 

On  the  next  morning,  the  22d,  the  snow  storm 
still  continued  to  pelt  them;  but  they  pressed  on- 
ward toward  Northumberland  Island,  and  reached 
it.  They  rowed  their  boats  into  a  small  inlet  of  open 
water,  which  conducted  them  to  the  beach  directly 
beneath  a  hanging  glacier  which  towered  sublimely 
into  the  heavens  to  the  immense  height  of  eleven 
hundred  feet. 

The  next  day  they  crossed  Murchison  Obannel,  and 
at  night  encamped  at  the  base  of  Cape  Parry.  The 
day  had  been  laboriously  spent  in  tracking  over  the 
ice,  a&d  in  sailing  through  tortuous  leads.    The  day 


I    I 


Vr 


506 


PBOOBB88  OF  ABC^nO  DOKJOTSBT. 


following  they  reach  ed  Fitz  Clarence  Kock ;  one  of 
the  most  singular  forms  to  be  seen  in  that  strange 
clime.  It  rises  to  an  immense  height  from  a  vast 
field  of  ice,  having  the  shape  of  an  Egyptian  pyra- 
mid surmounted  by  an  obelisk.  In  more  frequented 
waters  it  would  be  a  valued  landmark  to  the 
navigator. 

Stul  they  continued  to  toil  onward  from  day  to  day. 
Their  progress  was  satisfactory,  though  their  labor 
was  exhausting.    Dr.  Kane  sometimes  continued  six 
teen  hours  in  succession  at  the  helm.    But  now  thcii 
allowance  of    food  began  to  grow  scanty.      It  was 
reduced  to  six  ounces  of  bread-dust  per  dav,  and  a 
lump  of  tallow  about  the  size  of  a  walnut.     An  occa- 
sional cup  of  tea  was  their  only  consolation.    From 
this  stage  in  their  journey  Dairy mple  Kock  became 
perceptible  in  the  distance.    But  the  physical  strength 
of  the  men  began  to  give  way  beneath  their  labors 
and  their  insuihcient  diet.     At  this  crisis  a  gale  struck 
them  from  the  north-west,  and  a  floe,  one  end  of 
which  having  grounded  on  a  tongue  of  ice  about  a 
mile  to  the  northward  of  them,  began  to  swing  round  to- 
ward the  boats,  and  threaten  to  enclose  and  crush  them. 
Soon  the  destruction  of  the  surrounding  ice  threatened 
their  own.  For  hundreds  of  yards  on  every  side  around 
them  the  ice  was  crumbled,  crushed,  and  piled  in  irreg- 
ular and  fragmentary  masses.    The  thunder  of  the  con- 
fused ocean  of  frozen  wrecks  was  overpowering.    Sud- 
denly the  ice  seemed  to  separate  and  forma  channel; 
and  in  that  channel,  so  unexpectedly  opened  before 
them,  the  men  rowed  the  boats  with  the  aid  of  their 
boat  hooks,  and  escaped  a  danger  which  a  moment 
before  seemed  inevitable  and  ruinous.    Soon  they 
found  themselves  in  a  lead  of  land-water,  wide  enough 
to  r;'>  vo  them  rowing  room,  and  they  hastened  on  to 
the  land,  which  loomed  ahead.    Keaching  it,  they 
eagerly  sought  a  shelter.    The  Hope  here  stove  her 
bottom,  and  lost  part  of  her  weacher-boarding.    The 
water  broke  over  them,  for  the  storm  still  continued. 


,1^ '  il 


DB.  KANB  S  EXPEDITION. 


607 


'til 


At  length  the  tide  rose  high  enough  at  three  o'clocT? 
to  enable  them  to  scale  the  ice-clim  Tlioy  succeeded 
in  pulling  the  ^out8  into  a  decj)  and  narrow  gorge, 
which  opened  between  the  towering  cliffs.  Tlie  rocks 
seemed  almost  to  close  above  their  heads.  An  ab- 
rupt curve  in  the  windings  of  this  gorge  placed  a  pro- 
tecting rock  behind  them,  which  shielded  them  from 
the  violence  of  the  winds  and  waves.  They  had  reached 
a  haven  of  refuge  which  was  almost  a  cave;  where  they 
found  a  flock  ot  eider  ducks  on  which  they  feasted ;  and 
where  for  three  days  they  reposed  from  the  dan  fibers 
and  labors  of  their  voyage.  This  retreat  they  ntly 
called  Weary  Man's  Rest. 

The  fourth  day  of  July  having  arrived,  it  was  com- 
memorated by  the  adventurers  by  a  few  diluted  and 
moderate  potations,  such  as  their  nearly  exhausted 
whisky  flask  permitted ;  and  they  then  embarked 
and  rowed  industriously  toward  Wolstenholme  Island. 
During  some  succeeding  days,  they  continued  slowly 
to  progress  toward  the  south,  throuf^h  the  various  lanes 
of  water  which  opened  between  the  belt-ice  and  the 
floe.  By  this  time,  the  constant  collisions  between 
the  boats  and  the  floating  ice  had  rendered  them  quite 
unseaworthy.  The  ice  had  strained  their  bottom  tim- 
bers, and  constant  baling  was  necessary.  Their  fresh 
meat  had  all  been  consumed,  and  the  men  were  now 
reduced  again  to  short  rations  of  bread-dust. 

On  the  11th  of  July  they  approached  Cape  Dudley 
Digges ;  but  their  progress  was  suddenly  stopped  by 
an  immense  tongue  of  Hoe  which  extended  out  to  sea 
for  a  prodigious  distance.  Tliey  forced  their  way 
into  a  lead  of  sludge,  and  attempted  thus  to  advance. 
They  found  this  to  be  impossible ;  and  were  glad  to 
make  their  escape  from  it.  Dr.  Kane  .was  at  a  loss 
how  to  uroceod.  He  mounted  an  ice-berg  to  recon- 
uoiter  the  surrounding  prospect.  It  was  gloomy  and 
repulsive  in  the  extreme.  Ihey  were  in  advance  of 
the  season ;  and  he  discovered  that  in  those  waters 
toward  Gape  York,  the  floes  had  not  yet  broken  up. 


ill 

il 

41  i 


i«!n,iiMu.«'iji  inn.ii'OHWBaw'miWW! 


608 


noQREaa  or  AJioTia  Duoomr. 


,1  .  ! 


i\  Mm 


They  Boemed  to  be  surronndod  in  a  cuHrd&^aCy  witli 
exhausted  strength  and  foodf  and  no  possibilitj  of  ea* 
caping  nntil  the  summer  had  broken  open  for  them  a 
pathway  of  escape  tlirough  the  water. 

Dr.  Kane  resolved  to  steer  for  the  rocky  shore. 
Above  a  narrow  ledge  of  lofty  cliffs  mounted  one 
over  the  other  to  the  prodigious  height  of  eleven  hun- 
dred feet.  Tlie  waves  dashed  violently  against  that 
ledge ;  but  still  it  afforded  a  shelter  to  the  boats. 
Here  they  were  for  the  present  again  deposited ;  and 
fortunately  a  quantity  of  giiUs  were  found  in  the  crevi- 
ces of  the  rocks,  which  afforded  the  famished  wander- 
ers nutricious  food.  The  glacier  which  stretched 
away  in  front  of  them  was  aoout  seven  miles  across. 
On  ascending  the  heights  rbove  him,  Dr.  Kane  en- 
joyed a  magnificent  prospect  of  the  frozen  ocean,  the 
mer-de-glace,  whose  glittoring  surface  spread  out  bo- 
fore  and  around  him.  A  vast  undulatmg  plain  of 
purple-colored  ice  appeared,  extending  to  the  limits 
of  the  horizon,  resplendent  with  the  varied  hues  of 
sun  tipped  crystal.  This  spot,  where  the  wanderers 
enjoyea  so  welcome  a  repose,  such  nutricious  food, 
and  such  sublime  perspective,  they  named  Providence 
Halt.    Here  they  remained  till  tlie  18th  of  July. 

In  resuming  their  voyage  from  this  point,  they  en- 
countered an  accident  which  might  have  proved  very 
serious.  When  they  launched  the  Ilope,  she  was  pre- 
cipitated into  the  sludge  in  such  a  manner  as  to  carry 
away  her  rail  and  bulwark.  They  lost  overboard  their 
best  shot-gun,  and  an  equally  indispensable  utensil, 
their  kettle  which  had  served  them  in  every  possible 
capacity  of  kettle — such  as  soup-kettle,  paste-kettle, 
tea-kettle,  and  water-kettle.  Sailing  along  they  passed 
the  Crimson  Cliffs,  so  named  by  Sir  John  Boss.  They 
continued  thence  to  hug  the  shore.  The  weather 
now  moderated;  and  their  voyage  assumed  more 
agreeable  and  genial  features.  The  men  frequently 
landed,  climbed  up  the  steep  cliffs  and  ootained 
abundant  quantitiea  of  auks.     Fires  wort  kindled 


tML  KAVS'S  BXFIDmOV* 


5i)» 


/ 


with  tho  tnrf,  and  tho  feasts  wliicli  onsuod  weie  rel- 
ished with  more  than  an  ordinary  appetite ;  and  that 
also  the  more  truly,  beciiuse  tlic  travelers  well  knew 
that  their  good  fortune,  and  tlicir  propitious  seas  and 
weather,  would  not  long  continue.  They  were  now 
in  78"  20'  north  latitude. 

On  the  2l8t  of  June  tlicy  reached  Cape  Tork. 
Their  provisions  had  now  diminished  to  six  hundred 
and  forty  pounds,  or  about  thirty -six  pounds  to  each 
man.  The  question  to  be  dctonninea  was,  whether 
they  should  delay  whore  they  then  were  for  some 
days  until  tho  Bnore-ice  opened  ;  or  whether  they 
should  desert  the  coast  and  venture  boldly  upon  the 
open  water  to  the  west.  Dr.  Kane  ascended  the 
rocks  upon  the  shore,  and  by  the  aid  of  his  glass  care* 
fully  scrutinized  the  ice.  The  latter  coulu  be  seen 
immoveably  fixed  to  the  shore  in  nearly  an  unbroken 
sweep  far  beyond  BushncU  Island.  The  outside  floes 
were  large  ;  and  one  large  lead  appeared  to  the  view 
which  seemed  to  follow  the  main  noe  until  it  was  lost 
to  seaward. 

Dr.  Kane  explained  to  his  men  the  motives  which 
induced  him  to  adopt  the  course  upon  which  ho  had 
determined.  The  boats  were  then  hauled  on  shore, 
examined,  and  repaired.  One  of  these,  the  lied  Erie, 
was  stripped  of  her  cargo  and  prepared  to  be  broken 
up  as  soon  as  occasion  should  require.  A  beacon  was 
also  erected  on  an  eminence,  which  could  be  dis- 
cerned both  from  the  south  and  tho  west,  surmounted 
by  a  red  flannel  shirt.  Under  the  cairn  was  deposit- 
ed a  short  narrative  of  tho  condition  and  purposes  of 
the  party.  They  then  resumed  their  voyage  steering 
soutn  by  west  through  the  ice-lields.  For  a  while 
thej^  progiessed  safely  enough.  But  soon  tho  irregu- 
iiarities  of  the  surface,  loaded  as  it  was  by  hummocks 
and  even  larger  masses,  made  it  diflicult  to  discern 
the  state  of  the  ice  in  the  distance.  At  length  they 
lost  their  way  ;  the  officer  at  ^he  helm  of  the  leading 
boat  deceived  by  the  irregular  shape  of  a  large  ice- 


■■    >l 


'  i  ' 


no 


FBOOBESS  Of  ABOnO  DDOOTXBT. 


berg,  had  deserted  the  proper  lead,  and  bad  steered 

far  out  of  the  true  course. 

Dr.  Kane  at  once  ordered  a  halt,  and  ascending  an 
ico-berg  some  three  hundred  feet  in  lieight,  lie  sur- 
veyed the  prospect.  It  was  by  no  means  encoura- 
ging. They  Imd  advanced  into  the  recesses  of  the 
bay,  and  were  surrounded  on  all  sides  by  immense 
ice-borgs  and  lloating  ice.  So  dismal  appeared  their 
situation  that  one  of  the  sturdiest  members  of  the  ex- 
pedition, who  accompanied  the  commander  in  hissur- 
vev,  burst  into  tears  at  the  sadness  of  their  situation. 

There  was  but  one  means  of  deliverance,  and  that 
it  behooved  them  to  adopt  instantly.  They  mjist  re- 
sume their  sledges  and  retrace  their  way  to  the  west- 
ward. One  sledge  had  already  been  cut  up  for  iJrg- 
wood.  The  boat  Red  Erie  now  shared  the  same  fate ; 
and  was  laid  upon  the  floor  of  the  other  boats.  Three 
days  of  hard  dragging  over  the  ice  ensued ;  at  the 
end  of  which  time  they  regained  the  ice-berg  which 
had  misled  them  in  the  flrst  instance,  and  had  induced 
them  to  take  a  course  which  had  nearly  ended  in  their 
ruin.  From  this  point  made  easier  by  experience, 
thioy  steered  in  the  right  direction  into  a  free  lead, 
ancf  wore  wafted  onward  by  a  friendly  breeze  from 
the  north. 

Another  trouble  now  assailed  the  travelers,  not  less 
important  than  the  one  they  had  just  escaped.  Their 
provisions  had  fearfully  diminished,  and  yet  they  were 
hundreds  of  miles  distant  from  the  nearest  Danish 
settlement  of  Greenland.  Their  strength  diminished 
in  proportion  with  rJ>oir  food.  The  latter  had  become 
80  much  lessened  j  that  Ave  ounces  of  bread-dust,  four 
ounces  of  tallow,  and  three  of  bird's  meat,  were  all 
that  could  bo  thenceforward  allowed  q&q^  man  per 
day.  The  commander  now  determined  to  try  the 
more  open  sea,  as  their  progress  along  the  coast  had 
been  retarded  by  its  sinuosities.  During  two  daya 
heavy  fogs  impeded  their  rapid  advance.  A  south- 
westerly  wind  brought  the  outside  pack  upon  them| 


Itt.  kike's  EZPEDinOV. 


511 


and  oompellod  thorn  to  haul  up  on  the  drifting  Ire. 
By  this  inoana  they  were  driftcu  with  it  twenty  milca 
away  from  their  proper  course.  The  labors  and  toils 
of  the  party  were  extreme  and  exhausting ;  and  yot 
thov  manfully  kept  np  their  spirits. 

A  Btranj'o  phenomenon  now  showed  itself  among 
them;  and  one  too  of  ominous  import.  TliougU 
worked  excessively  they  yet  felt  no  hunger.  Tliey 
also  seemed  to  lose  tlieir  physical  strength.  The 
"  Faith  "  also  very  nearly  escaped  destruction,  by  be- 
ing left  behind  for  a  short  time.  Tlio  outside  pressure 
had  broken  the  floe  asunder,  and  the  Faith  began  to 
floataway  from  them.  Ilcr  loss  would  have  entailed 
that  of  a  largo  portion  of  the  scanty  provisions  which 
thev  still  possessed ;  and  would  nave  inevitably 
sealed  their  ruin.  By  the  utmost  exertions  of  the 
men,  some  of  whom  seemed  nearly  thrown  into  hys- 
terics by  her  threatened  Ioqs,  she  was  again  secured. 

The  situation  of  the  voyagers  continued  to  become 
more  critical.    They  experienced  a  dithculty  in  breath- 


ing, and  an  inability  to  sleep.  Their  line  of  travel 
lay  through  the  open  bay,  in  the  midst  of  the  great 
ice-drift  which  hurried  from  the  Arctic  climes  into 
the  Atlantic  ocean.  Their  boats  were  frail  and  shat- 
tered, and  constantly  made  enough  water  to  require 
their  utmost  exertions  in  bailing,  in  order  to  keep 
them  afloat.  Their  fresh  food  had  been  exhausted 
for  some  days ;  and  they  suliered  from  a  low  fever 
which  prostrated  them  to  the  utmost. 

At  this  point  of  their  progress  they  happily  killed 
a  seal  which  they  discovered  on  a  small  patch  of  ice. 
The  first  sight  of  it  created  the  utmost  enthusiasm 
among  the  men.  As  the  boats  silently  approached 
him  and  before  they  were  within  rifle  shot,  the  seal 
raised  his  head,  surveyed  the  strangers,  and  was  pre- 
paring to  dive  into  the  water.  The  best  marksman 
of  the  company  with  their  best  rifle,  had  just  drawn 
Bight  upon  the  seal ;  and  the  lives  of  the  whole  party 
may  be  said  to  have  depended  on  the  succesi  of  tlia 


'if 
! 


I . 


i] 


<!    II 


51S 


FB00BSB8  ov  ABono  cuootht. 


'.i  . 


rill 

III 


iii 


'it 

I 


'1^ 


!N 


shot  A  moment  of  breathless  anxietr  ensaed ;  but 
the  skill  of  Petersen  prevailed.  At  mo  instant  the 
crack  of  the  rifle  was  heard  the  seal  relaxed  his  long 
body,  and  his  head  fell  flat  on  the  ice  npon  its  utmost 
verge.  With  a  loud  yell  the  famished  men  urged 
forward  the  boat  with  their  utmost  strength.  When 
they  reached  the  ice  thev  rushed  over  it,  laughing, 
crying,  and  brandishing  their  knives.  The  unhappy 
seal  was  cut  into  strips  before  he  had  fairly  time  to 
expire ;  and  was  gorging  the  men  with  his  raw  re- 
mains. Kot  a  single  ounce  was  lost ;  the  intestines 
even,  were  boiled  in  the  soup-kettle ;  and  the  carti- 
laginous flippers  were  distributed  and  chewed  to 
pieces  with  the  utmost  relish. 

This  opportune  supply  of  fresh  food  saved  the  lives 
of  the  party.  Their  mental  and  physical  health  was 
restorea.  Several  days  afterward  they  killed  another 
seal,  and  thus  each  one  retained  a  mens  sana  in  sano 
corpore.  On  the  1st  of  August  they  came  within  sight 
of  the  DeviPs  Thumb,  and  were  no  longer  wanderers 
in  unknown  regions ;  but  were  within  the  limits  of 
the  district  frequented  by  the  whalers.  Soon  they 
reached  the  Duck  Islands.  At  length  they  passed 
Cape  Shackleton,  and  then  steered  for  the  shore  of 
Greenland. 

Their  long  voyage  with  its  infinite  anxieties  and 
toils — their  perilous  adventures  amid  cheerless  conti- 
nents of  ice — their  narrow  escapes  from  the  moun- 
tainous ice-beres — their  sufferings  from  cold,  hunger, 
and  disease — their  apprehensions  of  an  unknown 
grave  in  th*?  solitudes  of  the  Arctic  realms — ^their 
doubts  of  a  final  happy  escape  from  the  innumerable 
perils,  and  of  their  welcome  vision  of  their  native  land 
and  the  fires' des  of  their  former  years — ^all  these  now 
terminated  in  eventual  triumph  and  escape.  They 
now  shaped  the  course  directly  toward  the  shores  of 
Greenland,  which  clearly  loomed  ud  in  their  distant 
horixon.  Kext  day  they  met  the  nrst  inhabitant  of 
that  world  from  which  they  had  been  so  long  shul 


v../- 


DB.  KANE'S  EXBEDTnON. 


618 


out.  It  was  a  Greenlander  who,  in  his  email  canoe 
or  kayak,  was  seeking  eider  down  among  the  islands 
which  stud  the  coast.  They  hailed  him.  One  of  the 
men,  Petersen,  knew  him.  It  was  Paul  Trocharias. 
"  Don't  you  know  me  ? "  enquired  Petersen,  as  the 
boats  approached.  "Pm  Carl  Petersen."  "No," 
answered  the  Greenlander,  "his  wife  says  he  is 
dead  ; "  and  with  this  response  he  rowed  away  from 
them. 

During  two  days  longer  they  continued  to  follow 
the  coast,  sailinff  southward.  At  the  end  of  this  time 
they  discerned  the  single  mast  of  a  small  shallop,  and 
heard  words  of  mingled  English  and  Danish  from  the 
sailors  on  board  of  her.  Tney  soon  discerned  that 
it  was  the  Upernavick  oil-boat  o;i  its  way  to  Kingatok 
to  obtain  blubber.  The  annual  ship  had  arr  ved  from 
Copenhagen  at  Proven ;  and  this  was  one  of  the  boats 
which  supplied  her  with  a  cargo  of  oil.  From  the 
sailors  on  board  the  shallop,  Dr.  Kane  first  received 
information  of  the  great  events  which,  during  his  ab- 
Bcence  had  agitated  the  world  to  which  he  had  been 
BO  long  a  stranger ;  how  England  and  France  had  com- 
bined with  the  Turk  to  humble  the  haughty  pride  of 
the  imperial  Romanoff;  and  how  vast  armies  were 
then  engaged  in  mortal  strife  on  the  once  quiet  and 
fertile  plains  of  the  Crimea.  For  the  first  time  he 
learned  the  importance  which  Sebastopol  had  ac- 
quired in  the  history  and  fate  of  the  world,  sur- 
rounded as  it  then  was  with  a  battling  host  of  a  hun 
dred  thousand  men. 

They  rowed  on.  Soon  Kasarsoak,  the  snow-capped 
summit  of  Sanderson's  Hope  appeard  to  them,  tower- 
ing above  the  mists ;  and  as  they  approached  the 
welome  harbor  of  Upernavick,  from  which  they  had 
issued  several  years  before  in  the  gallant  vessel  they 
had  now  left  behind  them,  they  felt  as  only  such  men 
under  such  circumstances  could  feel.  During  eighty- 
four  days  they  had  lived  in  the  open  air,  tossing  m 
frail  boats  on  the  bosom  of  the  angry,  half  frozen 
V 


'I  ii 


'  ii 


■MOHto 


mt»-Jm 


MWM 


014 


PEOOEESS  OF  ARCnO   DISCOVEET. 


Mil' 


tW:  i  '.  ! 


deep.  Tliey  were  delivered  from  a  thousand  doatha, 
and  arrived  at  last  safely  at  ITpernavick,  where  they 
were  received  with  hospitality  by  the  charitable 
Danes,  who  inhabit  that  lonely  and  cheerless  outport 
of  the  civilized  world. 

Dr.  Kane  resolved  to  embark  his  party  in  the  Dan- 
ish vessel  the  Mariane,  which  sailed  on  the  6tli  of 
September  for  the  Shetland  Islands.  Tliey  took  with 
them  their  little  boat  tlie  Faith,  which  had  accom- 
panied them  through  eo  many  adventures.  They  only 
retained  their  clothes  and  docnments,  of  all  tl.eyhad 
once  possessed  on  board  the  Advance.  On  the  llth 
they  arrived  at  Godliaven,  where  they  found  their  for- 
mer friend  Mr.  Olrik,  tlie  Danisli  Inspector  of  ITorth 
Greenland.  Here  Dr.  Kane  first  heard  of  th  .•  sq  '1- 
ron  under  Captain  Hartstene,  which  had  be.  ii  j^/it 
out  from  the  United  States  in  pursuit  of  him,  and 
learned  that  it  had  touched  at  that  spot. 

This  squadron  consisted  of  two  vesselp.  the  United 
States  barque  "Release,"  and  the  United  States  steam- 
brig  "  Arctic."  They  had  sailed  from  New  York  in 
June  1855,  and  on  the  9th  of  July  they  were  at 
Lievely  on  the  coast  of  Greenland.  On  that  day  they 
resumed  their  search  after  the  party  of  Dr.  Kane,  and 
sailed  for  Waigat  Strait,  intending  to  touch  atUper- 
navick  for  information.  From  Upernavick  both  vessels 
stood  northward.  They  soon  mot  the  floating  ice 
drifting  down ;  but  they  persisted  in  advancing,  and 
thus  Worked  along  for  forty  miles  to  Wedge  filand. 
Here  they  were  compelled  to  moor  themselves  to  the 
bergs,  and  await  the  opening  of  the  ice,  vhich  had  be- 
come so  compact  as  to  render  their  immediate  ad- 
vance impossible.  After  several  days  the  ice  opened, 
and  enabled  them  to  proceed.  They  then  steamed  to 
Sugar  Loaf  Island,  and  entered  tne  closely  packed 
floe  of  Melville  Bay.  By  the  13th  of  August  they 
had  forced  a  passage  into  the  Nortli  Water,  after 
twenty-eight  days  of  laborious  sailing.  They  ther; 
passed  Cape  York  and  Wolstenholme  Island.    Kem 


t 


DB.  KAin&  8  EXPEDITION. 


619 


hastening  on  in  the  steamer,  Captain  Hartstene  Tisited 
Cape  Alexander  and  Soutlierland  Island.  These 
points  were  beyond  the  reach  of  the  Esquimaux,  and 
might  probably  contain  traces  of  Dr.  Kane's  party. 
They  were  thoroughly  searched ;  but  no  evidence  ap- 
peared that  any  human  foot  had  ever  invaded  those 
frozen  solitudes.  Theuce  they  advanced  to  Pelham 
Point,  where  they  observed  u  few  stones  piled  together. 
A  party  landed  here,  and  beneath  this  rude  monument 
they  discovered  a  small  vial  with  the  letter  K.  cut  in 
the  cork.  The  vial  contained  a  large  musquito,  and 
a  small  piece  of  cartridge  paper,  on  which  was  written 
"  Dr,  Ka/ne,  1853." 

This  discovery  induced  Captain  Hartstene  to  push 
further  north.    The  ice  however  soon  stoppea  his 

E regress ;  and  drifting  southward  with  the  current, 
e  examined  Cape  Hotturton  and  Littleton  Island. 
But  no  trace  of  Dr.  Kane  was  found,  though  in  a  for- 
mer letter  to  his  brother,  he  had  expressed  his  inten- 
tion to  erect  a  cairn  on  one  of  these  localities.  Fif- 
teen miles  north-west  of  Cape  Alexander  they  discov- 
ered a  party  of  Esquiraaux,  who,  three  miles  distant 
on  the  Greenland  .^hore,  had  a  temporary  settlement 
of  seven  tents,  inhabited  by  thirty  persons.  Here 
Captain  Hartstene  found  many  articles  which  had  be- . 
longed  to  Dr.  Kane's  party,  and  which  had  been  left 
behind ;  such  as  tin  pans  and  pots,  canvas  and  iron 
spikes,  as  well  as  the  tube  of  a  telescope  which  was 
recognized  as  having  belonged  to  Dr.  Kane. 

Captain  Hartstene  closely  interrogated  the  Esqui- 
maux as  to  their  knowledge  of  the  missing  company. 
From  them  he  learned  that  Dr.  Kane,  having  lost  hia 
vessel  somewhere  in  the  ice  to  the  northward,  had 
been  at  that  point  with  two  boats  and  a  sled,  and  af- 
ter remaining  there  ten  days  had  proceeded  south- 
ward toward  Upernavick.  With  such  conclusive  evi- 
dence before  him  Captain  Hartstene  also  determined 
to  return  southward.  He  touched  at  Cape  Alexander, 
Sutherland  Islands,  and  Hakluyt  Island.    Thence  he 


■M 


i  ! 

t,!l 
)  1 


«■ 


816 


PBOOBSSS  OF  ABOnO  dBOOYXBT. 


^'l 


\  ; 


J' '' 
I'' 


.     I        I 
ill         > 


ii' 


steered  for  the  entrance  of  Lancaster  Sound,  and  ex- 
amined the  coast  between  Cape  Horsburg  and  Gape 
Warrander.  After  passing  Cape  BuUin  he  found  the 
ice  firmly  packed,  and  the  vessols  seemed  frozen  into 
their  winter  quarters.  But  after  twenty-four  hours 
ttpent  in  a  laoorious  attempt  to  batter  their  way 
through  the  ice  they  succeeded ;  and  after  thus  ma- 
king me  circuit  of  nearly  the  whole  northern  part  of 
Bamn's  Bay,  they  returned  toward  Possession  and 
Pound's  Bay.  Along  this  whole  voyage  they  con- 
stantly fired  guns,  burned  blue-lights  and  threw  up 
rockets,  with  the  hope  of  attracting  the  attention  o: 
t  r'  "  anderers.  They  were  disappointed  however, 
auv.  dinff  no  traces  of  Dr.  Kane  s  party  whatever, 
Captain  Hartstene  concluded  that  they  had  passed 
through  Melville  Bay  to  Upernavick ;  and  he  resolved 
at  once  to  follow  them  thither. 

His  conjecture  was  right.  On  the  11th  of  Septem 
ber,  as  the  Greenland  vessel  Mariano  was  about  set- 
ting out  from  the  port  of  Godhaven,  having  Dr. 
Kane's  party  on  board,  the  look-out  man  at  the  hill- 
top announced  the  approach  of  a  distant  steamer. 
Soon  she  came  nearer,  having  a  barq^ue  in  tow ;  and 
the  immortal  stars  and  stripes  floating  majestically 
at  her  mast-head.  Instantly  the  Faith  was  lowered 
'  from  the  side  of  the  Mariano,  and  the  party  in  her 
pulled  lustily  for  the  approaching  vessel.  All  the 
Doats  of  the  settlement  hurried  after  her  wake.  Pre- 
sently the  Faith  was  alongside  the  Arctic ;  and  Cap- 
tain Hartstene  eagerly  hailed  a  little  man  in  a  ragged 
flannel  shirt;  "/«  that  J)r,  ICcmef"  An  affirmative 
answer  was  instantly  returned  by  the*  Doctor  him- 
self; and  in  a  few  moments  the  distinguished  naviga- 
tor bounded  on  the  deck  of  his  country's  ship ;  was 
received  with  loud  plaudits  of  welcome  by  her  com- 
mander and  crew ;  and  thus  he  and  his  party  returned 
again,  as  those  alive  from  the  dead,  to  an  unfrozen 
world  of  civilization,  comfort,  and  security.  Dr. 
Kane's  labors  had  not  resulted  in  the  dlBCOvery  of 


^ 


1>B.  Kane's  kxpedition. 


617 


any  traces  or  remains  of  Sir  John  Franklin's  party;  but  it 
was  the  means  of  securing  important  additions  to  geograph- 
ical knovvKdge,  and  valuable  acquisitions  in  botany,  mete- 
orology, gt;ology,  and  other  departments  of  science.  His 
researches  have  left  but  little  to  be  obtained  by  any  suc- 
cessor in  Arctic  explorations,  however  resolute,  vigorous, 
pud  accomplished  he  may  be.  ,  Dr.  Kane  and  his  associ- 
ates returned  to  New  York  in  the  scjuadron  of  Captain 
Hartstene,  on  the  nth  of  October,  1855. 

[End  of  Dr.  Srmicker's  Narrative]. 

The  scientific  results  of  Dr.  Kane's  expedition  are  thus 
summed  up  by  himself  in  his  report  to  the  U.  S.  Navy 
department : — 

1.  The  survey  and  delineation  of  the  north  coast  of 
Greenland  to  its  termination  by  a  great  glacier. 

2.  The  survey  of  this  glacial  mass,  and  its  extension 
northward  into  the  new  land  named  Washington. 

3.  The  discovery  of  a  large  channel  to  the  north-west, 
free  from  ice,  and  leading  into  an  open  and  expanding 
area,  equally  free.  The  whole  embraces  an  iceless  area 
of  4,200  miles. 

4.  The  discovery  and  delineation  of  a  large  tract  of 
land,  forming  the  extension  northward  of  the  American 
Continent. 

5.  The  completed  survey  of  the  American  coast  to  the 
south,  and  west,  as  far  as  Cape  Sabine ;  thus  connecting 
our  survey  with  the  last  determined  position  of  Captain 
Inglefield,  and  completing  the  circuit  of  the  straits  and 
bay  heretofore  known  at  their  southernmost  opening  as 
Smith's  Sound. 


Subsequent  Career  of  Dr.  Kane. — His  Death,  Feb- 
ruary 16,  1857. 

Elisha  Kent  Kane  was  born  in  Philadelphia,  Feb.  3, 
1820.  When  he  reached  New  York  at  the  end  of  his 
second  and  last  expedition  in  search  of  Sir  John  Franklin 
he  was  not  quite  36  years  old.  As  he  was  unquestionably 
one  of  the  bravest  of  the  long  line  of  Arctic  discoverers — at 


518 


PROGRESS    OF   ARTIC   DISCOVERY. 


H    'I 


fir' 

it 


> 


,J   1 1 


'M        ! 


It' 


once  the  mo^t  devoted,  cliivalroiis,  accomplished  and  re- 
markable of  tiiose  heroic  explorers — it  is  lit  tiiat  we  should 
add  here  the  short  story  ol  his  remaining  sixteen  months  of 
life,  before  proceeding  with  this  narrative.  To  the  seeds 
of  former  diseases  never  fully  eradicated,  had  been  added 
that  terrible  scourge  of  Arctic  life,  the  scurvy,  together 
with  the  exhausting  litera^ry  labors  incident  to  the  prepara- 
tion of  his  thrilling  narrative  of  adventures  in  the  frozen 
seas,  published  in  the  year  following  his  return  to  the 
United  States.  "  7V/e  book,  poor  as  it  is,  has  been  my 
COFFIN,"  was  his  own  melancholy  comment  on  its  com- 
pletion. But  his  work  was  not  considered  "  poor  "  by  the 
world,  nor  by  the  lovers  of  science  ;  it  excited  an  intense 
interest  and  drew  forth  universal  eulogy.  All  classes 
were  penetiPted  and  touched  by  the  story  so  modestly,  so 
eloquently,  so  touchingly  told.  Medals  and  other  costly 
testimonials  were  sent  by  the  Queen  of  England,  (by  per- 
mission of  an  Act  of  Congress),  by  American  Legislatures, 
and  by  scientific  associations ;  and  he  received  letters  of 
praise  and  congratulation  from  the  most  eminent  men  in  all 
lands. 

He  left  this  country  for  England  under  a  presentiment 
that  he  should  never  return.  It  was  indeed  an  alarming 
symptom  to  find  that  iron  nerve  which  hitherto  had  sus- 
tained him  under  shocks  apparently  not  less  severe,  thus 
beginiiing  to  falter  ;  and  yet  even  then  the  great  purpose 
of  his  life  was  not  wholly  abandoned,  but  he  was  already 
projecting  a  combined  land  and  sea  expedition  of  research 
and  rescue,  down  the  Mackenzie  River,  and  through 
\  Bering's  Straits.  But  virulent  and  continuous  attacks  of 
'  disease  obliged  him  to  give  up  his  plans,  to  forsake  the 
honors  awaiting  him  in  F^ngland,  and  to  sail  for  Cuba  to 
recuperate  his  strength.  There  he  was  joined  by  his  mother 
and  two  of  his  brothers,  and  devotedly  nursed  through  a 
lingering  and  painful  illness,  until  his  death,  at  Havana, 
on  the  i6th  of  February,  1857. 

The  early  fame  and  remarkable  exploits,  through  a 
short  but  marvellously  varied  career,  of  this  young  martyr 
to  the  miseries  of  the  Arctic  seas,  illustrate  the  advantages 
of  intrepid  and  intellectual  ancestry.  On  both  sides  he 
could  trace  his  descent  in  this  country  to  names  eminent 


SUBSEQUENT  CAREER  OF  DR.  KANB. 


619 


1  and  re- 
ve  should 
nonths  of 
the  seeds 
en  added 
together 
;  piepara- 
le  frozen 
n  to  the 

BEEN    MY 

its  com- 
' "  by  the 
n  intense 
1  classes 
destly,  so 
ler  costly 
,  (by  per- 
jislatures, 
letters  of 
nen  in  all 

sentiment 
larming 
lad  sus- 

^ere,  thus 
purpose 
already 
research 
through 
tacks  of 

iake  the 
Cuba  to 
mother 
rough  a 
Havana, 

rough  a 

martyr 

vantages 

iides  he 

eminent 


before  the  American  Revolution,  being  derived  in  the  pa- 
ternal line  from  Ireland,  Holland  and  England,  and  in  the 
maternal  line  from  Scotland,  England  and  France,  while 
the  corresponding  religions  blended  in  it  were  the  Episco- 
palian, Dutch  Retormed  and  Congregational,  with  the 
Presbyterian,  Quaker,  Methodist  and  Moravian.  His  great 
grandfather  was  Colonel  John  Kane,  of  the  British  army, 
who  came  from  Ireland  to  the  colony  of  New  York  in  1756, 
settled  in  Dutchess  County,  and  there  married  Miss  Sybil 
Kent,  daughter  of  Rev.  Elisha  Kent,  of  "  Kent's  Parish," 
N.  Y.,  an  aunt  of  Chancellor  Kent.  His  grandfather, 
Elisha  K.  Kane,  was  a  merchant  in  New  York  and  Albany, 
who  married  Miss  Alida  Van  Rensselaer,  daughter  of  Gen. 
Robert  Van  Rensselaer,  of  Claverack,  N.  Y.,  and  subse- 
quently removed  to  Philadelphia.  His  father,  Hon.  John 
K.  Kane,  was  a  graduate  of  Yale  College,  and  successively 
a  member  of  the  Philadelphia  Bar,  Attorney-General  of 
the  State,  and  Judge  of  the  U.  S.  Court  for  the  Eastern 
District  of  Pennsylvania.  He  was  noted  as  a  learned 
jurist,  an  influential  statesman,  an  active  promoter  of  the 
arts,  sciences,  and  charities  in  Philadelphia,  an  eminent 
scholar,  and  a  courtly  gentleman.  Dr  Kane,  with  a  just 
pride,  wrote  these  names  upon  the  map  of  the  Arctic  seas, 
preferring  to  call  a  new  land  or  a  river,  after  one  of  his 
own  kinsmen,  than  to  christen  it  for  a  Washington,  a 
Franklin,  or  any  other  noted  name  too  often  repeated  in 
our  geographical  nomenclature.  The  qualities  which  he 
inherited  from  these  ancestors  may  serve  to  explain  that 
rare  combination  of  varied  and  even  opposite  elements  of 
race,  of  creed,  and  of  culture,  which  entered  into  the  for^ 
mation  of  his  character. 

He  died  in  the  faith  of  his  fathers,  with  the  consolatory 
words  of  the  Saviour  upon  his  lips  : — *'  Let  not  your  heart 
be  troubled :  ye  believe  in  God,  believe  also  in  me.  In 
my  Father's  house  are  many  mansions  ;  if  it  were  not  so, 
I  would  have  told  you.  I  go  to  prepare  a  place  for  you." 
Thus  passed  away  this  great  discoverer.  His  remains 
were  conveyed  from  Havana  to  New  Orleans,  and  thence 
through  the  western  states  to  Philadelphia,  the  learned,  the 
noble,  and  the  good,  forming  his  funeral  cortege,  until  at 
length  the  national  obsequies  were  completed  in  the  Hall 


520 


PROOBIilSS   OF   ARCTIC   DISCOVERY. 


V  ; 


hiti 


id' 


I'i 


vny\> 


»  , 


h' 


of  Independence,  in  the  church  of  his  childhood,  and  at 
the  grave  of  his  kindred. 

The  mysterious  and  icy  regions  of  the  North  will  con- 
tinue to  attract  explorers  and  to  become  the  grave  of 
heroes  consecrated  to  the  service  of  science,  so  long  as  the 
exploits  and  misfortunes  of  Sir  John  Franklin,  Dr.  Kane, 
and  their  compeers,  are  remembered  and  emulated. 


Expedition  on  Captain  Francis  McClintock,  July  i, 
1857. —  Discovery  of  the  First  Authentic  Account 
OF  Sir  John  Franklin's  fate.  Return  of  the 
"  Fox  "  TO  Isle  of  Wight,  September  20,  1859. 

In  our  account  of  the  closing  labors  of  Lady  Jane  Frank- 
lin's life,  on  page  357,  we  have  mentioned  briefly  the  trip  of 
the  "  Fox  "  under  Capt.  McClintock.  This  little  vessel 
left  Aberdeen,  July  i,  1857.  On  arriving  at  Disco,  on  the 
coast  of  Greenland,  McClintock  purchased  35  Esquimau 
dogs,  hired  two  natives  as  drivers,  and  steered  for  Lancas- 
ter Sound.  In  Baffin  Bay,  Aug.  17,  nearly  opposite  the 
entrance  to  that  channel,  she  was  hemmed  in  by  the  ice 
for  eight  months.  Moving  with  the  pack,  she  had  drifted 
1395  miles  to  the  southward,  when  the  ice  left  her  April  25, 
1858.  After  refitting  at  Holsteinburg,  she  arrived  in  Lan- 
caster Sound,  July  12,  and  sailed  through  Barrow  Strait. 
Thence  she  passed  northeastward,  around  North  Somerset, 
through  BelloL  Strait,  which  borders  the  North  American 
Continent.  On  Sept.  27,  the  "Fox"  took  up  her  winter 
quarters  at  Port  Kennedy,  on  the  north  shore  of  the  Strait. 
From  this  point,  Lieut.  Hobson  made  a  sledge  journey,  with 
provisions,  towards  the  magnetic  pole  ;  Capt.  Young  to  the 
further  side  of  Franklin  Strait,  and  McClintock  and  Peter- 
son traveled  southv/ard.  March  i,  1859,  the  latter  met 
near  Cape  Victoria,  a  party  of  Esquimaux,  who  reported 
that  several  years  before  a  ship  had  been  crushed  in  the 
ice,  and  sunk  in  deep  water  off  the  northwest  shore  of 
King  William  Land ;  that  her  crew  went  off  to  a  great 
river,  where  they  all  died  of  olarvation.  The  natives  also 
said  that  a  second  vessel  (Franklin's)  drifted  ashore  at  King 


BECORDS   OF   franklin's   SHIPS. 


521 


and  at 

ill  con- 

ave   of 

as  the 

Kane, 


ULY  I, 
:COUNT 
>F    THE 


Frank- 
2  trip  of 
;  vessel 
on  the 
qirimau 
Lancas- 
ite   the 
the  ice 
drifted 
pril  25, 
n  Lan- 
Strait. 
[nerset, 
erican 
winter 
Strait. 
,  with 
to  the 
Peter- 
r  met 
orted 
in  the 
re  of 
great 
s  also 
King 


William  L.ind,  and  that  the  skeleton  of  one  man  was 
found  on  board.  On  the  east  shore  of  King  William 
Land,  McCiintock  heard  that  when  the  "white  people 
marched  toward  the  Great  River,  many  0/ them  dropped  by 
the  way ; "  their  bodies  were  found  the  next  winter,  and 
some  were  buried.  McCiintock  followed  the  south  and 
west  coast  of  King  William  Land  and  found  the  first  trace 
of  PVanklin'S  crew  near  Cape  Herschel.  It  was  a  bleached 
skeleton,  lying  at  full  length  on  the  beach — some  clothing, 
a  pocketbook,  and  a  few  letters.  A  day's  march  north- 
east of  Cape  Crozier,  about  65  miles  from  the  abandoned 
ships,  the  party  discovered  a  boat  and  a  sledge,  in  which 
were  two  skeletons,  two  loaded  guns,  Sir  John  Franklin's 
silver  plate,  besides  fuel,  ammunition,  chocolate,  tea, 
tobacco  ?;tc.,  Lieut.  Hobson  tracked  the  north  and  west 
shores  of  King  William  Land,  almost  to  Cape  Herschel,  and 
at  the  most  northern  point  of  the  island,  near  Cape  Felix, 
he  came  across  a  ruined  cairn  and  three  tents ;  two  smaller 
cairns  were  afterward  found,  and  on  May  6,  a  large  one 
was  examined  at  Point  Victory.  Here,  lying  among  some 
stones  at  the  bottom  of  the  cairn,  was  a  tin  case  contain- 
ing a  record  of  the  lost  expedition,  which  read  as  follows  : 


28  of  May,  1847. — H.  M.  ships  "  Erebus"  and  "Terror,"  wintered 
in  the  ice  in  lal.  70^5  N.,  Ion.  98''  23  W.  Having  wintered  in  1846-7 
[this  date  should  be  evidently,  1845-6],  at  Beechey  Island  in  lat. 
74^  43'  2%'  N  ,  Ion.  91°  39'  15'  W.,  after  having  ascended  Welling- 
ton channel  to  lot.  77**  and  returned  by  the  W.  side  of  Cornwallis 
Island.  Sir  John  Franklin  commanding  the  expedition.  All  well. 
Party  consisting  of  2  officers  and  6  men  left  the  ship  on  Monday,  24th 
May,  1847.  Wm.  Gore,  Lieut;  Chas.  F.  Des  Vceux,  Mate. 


in  a 


dif- 


Around  the  margin  of  the  record  was  written 
fcirent  hand : 

"April  25,  1848.H.  M.  Ships  "  Terror  "  and  "  Erebus  " 
were  deserted  on  the  22nd  April,  5  leagues  N.  N.  W.  of  this, 
having  been  beset  since  12  th  Sept.  1846.  The  officers  and 
crews,  consisting  of  145  souls,  under  the  command  of  Capt. 
F.  R.  M.  Crozier,  landed  here,  in  lat.  69°  34'  42  "Ion.  98P  4' 
15/  "  This  paper  was  found  by  Lt.  Irving  under  the  cairn 
supposed  to  have  been  built  by  Sir  James  Ross  in  1831, 
four  miles  to  the  northward,  where  it  had  been  deposited  by 
the  late  Commander  Gore  in  June  1847.    Sir  James  Ross's 


■»■■ 


522 


PROGRESS  OF  ARCTIC  DISCOVERY. 


m\  'N 


U  t  I 


pillar  has  not  however,  been  found,  and  the  paper  has 
been  transferred  to  tliis  position,  which  is  that  in  which  Sir 
J.  Ross's  pillar  was  erected.  Sir  John  Franklin  died  on 
the  nth  June,  1847,  '^'^^l  ^'^^'  total  loss  by  deaths  in  the 
expedition  has  been  to  this  <late  9  officers  and  15  men. 

James  Fitzjamks,  C'aplain  H.  M.  S.  'Erebus,' 
F.  R.  M.  Crozier,   Captain   and  senior  offr.  . 

And  start  on  to-morrow,  26th,  for  Back's  Fish  river." 
No  further  traces  of  the  lost  voyagers  were  found,  except 
large  quantities  of  clothing  and  other  articles.  McClintock 
purchased  many  relics  from  the  natives,  with  which  he 
returned  to  his  vessels,  June  19.  He  had  completed  the 
delineation  of  the  north  shore  of  the  American  Continent, 
as  well  as  of  Boothia  and  King  William  Land;  had  opened 
a  new  and  capacious  channel,  extending  northwest  from 
Victoria  Strait  to  Parry  or  Melville  Sound,  which,  at  the 
suggestion  of  Lady  Franklin,  was  afterwards  named 
McClintock  channel.  His  researches  also  proved  Sir  John 
Franklin  to  be  the  discoverer  of  the  Northwest  passage ; 
for  they  showed  that  Sir  John  passed  up  Lancaster  sound, 
explored  Wellington  Channel;  unknown  till  then,  to  a  point 
further  north  than  previous  explores  had  reached ;  had 
sailed  around  Cornwallis  Island,  and  wintered  at  Beechey 
Island;  that  in  the  spring  and  summer  of  1846,  he  navi- 
gated Bellot  Strait,  or  Peel  Sound,  and  reached  Victoria 
Strait  in  Sept.,  thus  completing  a  chain  of  water  communi- 
cation between  the  two  oceans.  The  Fox  sailed  for  home 
on  Aug.  9,  and  reached  the  Isle  of  Wight,  Sept.  20,  1859. 


^if  1 


i     i 


Explorations  of  Dr.  Isaac  I.  Hayes  (Surgeon  of  second 
Grinnell  Expedition),  i860 — '61. 

Dr.  Hayes,  Surgeon  of  the  "  Advance,"  in  Dr.  Kane's 
second  Grinnell  Expedition,  had  traced  Grinnell  land, 
beyond  the  8oth  parallel,  and  he  now  projected  a  new 
voyage  to  complete  the  survey  of  the  north  coasts  of 
Greenland,  and  to  find  that  chimera  of  so  many  dreams, 
"The  Open  Polar  Sea."  For  a  complete  account  of  his 
hazardous  journey,  the  reader  is  referred  to  his  own  book, 
by  the  latter  title  (New  York,  1867.) 


DR.   HAYES   FIRST    EXPEDITIOK". 


528 


He  secured  contributions,  from  friends  of  the  enterprise 
In  New  Vork,  Phila.,  lioston  and  Albany,  sufficient  to  equip 
one  vessel,  the  fore-and-aft  schooner  *'  Spring  Hill  "  of  133 
tons  burthen.  Her  name  was  changed  by  act  of  Congress  to 
the  "  United  States."  His  crew  numbered  fifteen  persons, 
Mr.  August  Sonntag  being  the  astronomer  of  the  ex- 
pedition. The  outfit  of  clothing,  provisions,  and  ammuni- 
tion was  far  better  than  that  of  Dr.  Kane's  in  1853,  and  a 
fair  equipment  for  scientific  investigation  was  furnished  by 
the  Smithsonian  Institute  and  the  coast  survey. 

The  ship  sailed  from  Boston  Harbor,  July  7,  i860.  On 
the  30th  she  crossed  the  Arctic  circle,  her  average  speed 
being  100  miles  a  day.  Herr  the  sun  shone  full  in  the 
heavens  at  midnight.  On  August  i,  she  entered  the  harbor 
of  Proven;  the  fog  lifted,  and  "Greenland,  with  its  broad 
valleys,  deep  ravines,  lofty  mountains,  black  and  desolate 
cliffs,  and  innumerable  icebergs  burst  into  view.  "  It 
seemed,"  says  Dr.  Hayes  in  this  interesting  book,  "  as 
if  we  had  been  drawn,  by  some  unseen  hand,  into  a  land 
of  enchantment ;  here  was  the  Valhalla  of  the  sturdy 
Vikings,  here  the  city  of  the  Sungod  Fryer, — Alfheiur  with 
its  elfin  caves,  and  glitter  more  brilliant  than  the  sun,  the 
home  of  the  happy ;  and  there,  piercing  the  clouds,  was 
Hinnborg,  the  celestial  mount."  At  midnight  he  wrote 
in  his  diary  :  "  The  sea  is  smooth  as  glass,  not  a  ripple 
breaks  its  surface,  not  a  breath  of  z'.r  is  stirring.  The  sun 
hangs  close  upon  the  northern  horizon  ;  the  fog  has  broken 
up  into  light  clouds  ;  the  icebergs  lie  thick  about  us ;  the 
dark  headlands  stand  boldly  out  against  the  sky :  and  the 
clouds  and  bergs  and  mountains  are  bathed  in  an  atmos- 
phere of  crimson  and  gold,  and  purple,  most  singularly 
beautiful.  The  air  is  warm  almost  as  a  summer  night  at 
home,  and  yet  there  are  the  icebergs  and  the  bleak  moun- 
tains. The  sky  is  bright,  sofv,  and  inspiri.,j^-  as  the  skies 
of  Italy ;  the  bergs  have  lost  heir  chilly  appearance,  and, 
glittering  in  the  blaze  of  the  Kdlliant  heavens,  seem  in  the 
distance  like  masses  of  buruished  metal  or  solid  flame. 
Nearer  at  hand,  they  are  hugf  blocks  of  Parian  marble,  in- 
laid with  mammoth  gems  of  p^arl  and  gold.  The  form  of 
one  is  not  unlike  that  of  the  Coliseum,  and  it  lies  so  far 
away  that  half  its  height  is  bijried  beneath  the  blood-r«d 


624 


PSbGRHSS   OD'  ARCTIC  l5!SCdVERlf. 


IfK  ' 


5t;   , 

iVi  1 


waters.  The  sun,  slowly  rolling  along  the  horizon,  passed 
behind  it,  and  it  seemed  as  if  the  old  Roman  ruin  had 
suddenly  taken  fire." 

At  Upernavik,  Jensen,  a  Dane,  who  had  lived  ten  years 
in  Greenland,  was  enlisted  as  an  interpreter,  two  Danes  as 
sailors,  and  three  natives  as  hunters  and  dog-drivers.  Tes- 
suissak  was  made  on  the  21st,  and  here  Arctic  clothing 
and  dog  teams  were  procured.  Melville  Bay  was  entered 
on  the  23d ;  and  without  encountering  much  ice,  the  pas- 
sage to  Cape  York  was  made  in  55  hours.  Here  Hans 
Hendrick,  with  his  wife  and  babe,  joined  the  party  ;  he  was 
also  a  member  of  the  last  Kane  expedition.  August  26th, 
the  ship  arrived  20  miles  south  of  Cape  Alexander,  the 
entering  cape  of  Smith's  Sound,  a  little  further  north  than 
Baffin  in  1616,  and  Ross,  in  1818. 

In  latitude  78<'  17'  41"  N.,  long.  72°  30'  57"  W.,  20  miles 
south  of  Kane's  Harbor  in  1854-55,  winter-quarters  were 
prepared  in  the  little  harbor  of-  Hartstene  Bay,  named  by 
Hayes  Port  Foulke.  The  lowest  temperature  regis  ed 
was  only  — 29**,  at  Port  Foulke  ;  but  at  Rensselaer  H  r, 
20  miles  further  north,  Dr.  Hayes  registered  on  the  ^«aie 
day — 68°  Fah.  In  the  autumn,  Dr.  Hayes  and  Mr.  Sonn- 
tag  made  a  visit  to  "  Brother  John's  Glacier  "  (named  by 
Dr.  Kane  after  his  brother,  J.  P.  Kane,  who  died  in  March, 
1886,)  and  made  a  journey  upon  it  and  upon  the  Mer  de 
Glace  to  the  eastward,  about  50  miles  inland.  At  first,  the 
surface  of  this  glacier  was  broken  and  irregular,  but  grad- 
ually became  smooth,  with  a  regular  ascent,  and  the  ex- 
plorers reached  an  elevation  of  about  5000  feet.  On  Dec. 
22nd,  Mr.  Sonntag  started  with  Hans  to  visit  the  Eskimos 
at  or  near  Whale  Sound,  in  order  to  purchase  dogs  or  to 
procure  from  the  natives  the  service  of  their  dog-teams. 
On  their  way,  the  astronomer,  growing  a  little  chilled,  sprang 
off  the  sledge,  and  ran  ahead  to  warm  himself  by  exercise, 
but  suddenly  sank  through  the  thin  ice  which  covered  a  re- 
cently opened  tide-track.  Hans  succeeded  in  pulling  him 
up,  but  he  was  at  the  point  of  freezing  to  death,  and  after- 
wards died  in  the  snow-hut  to  which  Hans  conveyed  him. 
His  body  was  disinterred  from  the  snow  in  the  following 
month,  when  the  thermometer  stood  at  40  deg.  below  zero, 
and  was  brought  back  to  the  Observatory.   A  grave  was  dug 


,K)i   , 


HATES   DK8CUIBUS    TUU   ARCTIC   NIQHT. 


525 


ouuie 


1 
a  re- 

him 
ifter- 
him. 
wing 
ro, 

dug 


in  the  frozen  terrace,  where  the  body  still  rests.  Over  it  was 
chiselled  the  inscription:—"  AUGUST  SONNTAG,  died 
Dec.  28,  i860,  aged  28  years."  In  the  vestibu4e  of  the 
Dudley  Observatory,  Albany,  hangs  a  portrait  of  the  young 
astronomer ;  under  it  are  the  sad  words,  "  Perished  in  the 
ice  at  Port  Foulke,  latitude  780 17'  14"  N,,  Dec.  28,  i860." 

January  16,  1861,  Dr.  Hayes  wrote  in  his  Journal,  this 
graphic  description  of  his  long  night  in  the  ice  zones:— 
"Our  eyes  now  turn  wistfully  to  the  South,  eagerly  watch« 
ing  for  the  tip  of  Aurora's  chariot,  as  the  fair  goddess  of 
the  morning  rises  from  the  sea  to  drop  a  ray  of  gladness 
from  her  rosy  fingers  into  this  long-neglected  world.  It  is 
almost  a  »\»onth  since  we  passed  the  darkest  day  of  winter, 
and  it  will  be  a  long  lime  yet  before  we  have  light ;  but  it 
is  time  for  us  now  to  have  at  noontime  a  faint  flush  upon 
the  horizon.  A  faint  twilight  flush  mounting  the  south- 
ern sky  to-day  at  the  meridian  h-ur,  though  barely  percept- 
ible, was  a  cheering  sight  to  all.  We  feel  that  the  veil  of 
night  is  lifting,  that  the  cloud  is  passing  away,  that  the  load 
of  darkness  is  being  lightened 

"The  people  have  exhausted  their  means  of  amusement; 
we  long  for  the  day  and  for  work.  Talk  as  you  will  of 
pluck  and  of  manly  amusement,  this  Arctic  night  is  a  severe 
ordeal.  It  is  a  severe  trial  to  the  moral  and  the  intellect- 
ual faculties.  The  cheering  influences  of  the  rising  sun, 
which  invite  to  labor  ;  the  soothing  influences  of  the  even- 
ing twilight,  which  invite  to  repose  ;  the  change  from  day 
to  night  and  from  night  to  day,  which  lightens  the  burden 
to  the  weary  mind  and  the  aching  body,  is  withdrawn  ; 
and,  in  the  constant  longing  for  light,  light !  the  mind  and 
body,  weary  with  the  changeless  progress  of  the  time,  fail 
to  find  repose  where  all  is  rest.  The  grandeur  of  Nature 
ceases  to  give  delight  to  the  dull  sympathies;  the  heart 
longs  for  new  associations,  new  objects,  and  new  compan- 
ionships ;  the  dark  and  drear)'  solitude  oppresses  the  under- 
standing ;  the  desolation  which  reigns  everywhere  haunts 
the  imagination  ;  the  silence — dark,  dreary,  and  profound, 
becomes  a  terror.  I  have  gone  out  into  the  Arctic  night, 
and  viewed  Nature  in  her  varied  aspect.  I  have  rejoiced 
with  her  in  her  strength,  and  communed  with  her  in  repose. 
I  have  walked  abroad  in  the  darkness,  when  the  winds 


526 


moouTCsa  of  Auciir;  discovery. 


'^H 


11 '< 


tf 


If 


lu 


\.p.  ■' 


were  roaring  through  the  hills  and  crashing  over  the  plains. 
I  have  wandered  far  out  upon  the  frozen  sea,  and  listened 
to  the  voice  of  the  icebergs,  bewailing  their  imprisonment; 
along  the  glacier,  where  forms  and  falls  the  avalanche  ;  up 
on  the  hill-top,  where  the  drifting  snow,  coursing  its  way 
over  the  rocks,  sang  its  plaintive  song  ;  and  again  I  iiave 
wandered  away  to  the  distant  valley,  where  all  these  sounds 
were  hushetl,  and  the  air  was  still  and  solemn  as  the  tomb. 
And  here  it  is  that  the  true  sjiirit  of  the  Arctic  night  is  re- 
vealed, where  its  wonders  are  u!\loosed,  to  sport  and  play  ■ 
with  the  mind.  Vain  imaginings !  'I'he  hea'cns  above  and 
the  earth  beneath  reveal  only  an  endless  and  fathomless 
quiet;  there  is  nowhere  evidence  of  life  or  motion  ;  I  stand 
alone  amidst  the  mighty  hills  ;  their  tall  crests  climb  upward 
and  are  lost  in  the  gray  vault  of  the  skies,  their  dark  cliiTs, 
standing  against  their  slopes  of  white,  are  the  steps  of  a 
vast  amphitheatre.  The  mind  finding  no  rest  on  their  bold 
summits,  wanders  into  space  ;  ilie  moon  weary  with  long 
vigil,  sinks  to  her  repose  ;  the  IMeiades  no  longer  breathe 
their  sweet  influences :  Cassiopeia  and  Andromeda  and 
Orion,  and  all  the  infinite  host  of  the  unnumbered  constel- 
lations, fail  to  infuse  one  spark  of  jov  into  this  dead  atmos- 
phere; they  have  lost  all  their  tenderness,  and  are  cold 
and  pulseless.  The  eye  leaves  them  and  returns  to  earth, 
and  the  trembling  ear  awaits  something  that  will  break  the 
oppressive  silence.  l>ut  no  footfall  of  living  thing  reaches 
it,  no  wild  beast  howls  through  the  solitude.  There  is  no 
cry  of  bird  to  enliven  the  scene,  no  tree  among  whose 
branches  the  winds  can  sigh  and  moan.  The  pulsations 
of  my  own  heart  are  alone  heard  in  the  great  void  ;  and, 
as  the  blood  courses  throuiih  the  sensitive  or<ranization  of 
the  ear,  I  am  oppressec'  as  w  iih  discordant  sounds.  Silence 
has  ceased  to  be  negative  ;  it  has  become  endowed  with 
positive  attributes.  1  seem  to  hear  and  see  and  feel  it. 
It  stands  forth  as  a  frightful  spectre,  filling  the  mind  with 
the  overpowering  consciousness  of  universal  death, — pro- 
claiming the  f  nd  of  all  things  and  heralding  the  everlasting 
future.  Its  presence  is  unendurable.  1  spring  from  the 
rock  upon  which  I  have  been  seated ;  1  plant  my  feet  heav- 
Uy  in  the  snow,  to  banish  its  awful  presence,  and  the  sound 
rolls  through  the  night  and  drives  away  the  phantom. 


IIAYKH    ON    TFIIC    UJ'KN    POLAR    HKA. 


527 


with 
-pro- 
isiing 


**T  Iiavc  seen  no  expression  on  the  face  Nature  so 
filled   with  terror  as    tiik  sii.knck  ok  tfik  AKf.'Trc  ni(;ht." 

On  ll,c  4lh  of  A|)ril,  iSOi,  Hayes,  v'li  twelve  officers 
and  mci:,  started  out  on  Iiis  principal  sUn'  ■"'  journey  to  the 
north,  will  a  metallic  lile-l)f)at  mountcfl  on  runners.  He 
was  conijiellcd  to  Ucep  If)  the  eastern  shore,  and  encount- 
ered Dr.  Ivane's  experience  wiili  ice  lunnniocks,  so  that  he 
Kent  back  the  ho.ii  with  llu"  main  party  .md  kepi  on  with 
two  companions  (jiily.  With  these,  he  reached  the  West 
coast,  entered  Kennedy  Channel,  and  on  April  16,  he 
reached  lat.  <Hi"  35  N.,  lon^^,  70",  7,0'  W.,  40  miles  further 
north,  (to  which  lie  j;a.e  the  name  oi  Cape  Liebcr),  than 
Kane's  highest  on  the  east  shore.  After  a  journey,  coming 
and  going,  of  1400  miles,  and  an- absence  of  59  days,  he 
returned  to  his  vessel.  Dr.  Hayes  did  not  find  open  water 
in  Kennedy  (Jhann(>l,  but  inu'di  decayed  and  thin  ice,  inter- 
spersed with  [)ools  of  water — in  one,  a  flock  of  water-fowls, 
the  C/ria  G/yArc,  dovekies.  The  west  coast  was  lined 
with  a  heavy  ridge  of  ice,  with  masses  60  feet  in  height, 
lying  high  :\ud  dry  upon  the  beach. 

It  will  be  interesting  here  to  quote  Dr.  Hayes'  argu- 
ments, in  favor  of  an  "Open  Polar  Sea."  In  his  book  to 
which  we  have  previously  alluded,  he  cites  the  three  breaks 
and  the  long  line  of  northern  coast,  through  which  the 
waters  of  the  Atlantic  and  J^aclfic  Oceans  enter  the  north- 
ern basin,  and  says  :  ''  If  one  traces  the  currents  on  the 
map,  and  follows  the  ('ulf  Stream  as  it  flows  northward, 
pouring  the  warm  waters  of  the  Tropic  Zone  through  the 
broad  gateway  east  of  Spitzbergcn,  and  forcing  out  a  re- 
turn current  of  cold  waters  to  the  west  of  Spitzbergen,  to 
and  through  Davis  Strait,  he  will  very  readily  comprehend 
why  in  this  incessant  displacement  of  the  waters  of  the 
Pole  by  the  waters  of  the  Equ;t.or,  the  great  body  of  the 
former  is  never  chilled  to  wiihin  several  degrees  of  the 
freezing  point :  and  since  it  is  probably  as  deep,  as  it  is 
almost  as  Inroad,  as  the  Atlantic  between  Europe  and 
America,  he  will  be  prepared  to  understand  that  this  vast 
body  of  water  tempers  the  whole  region  with  a  warmth  above 
that  which  is  otherwise  natural  to  it ;  and  that  the  Al- 
mighty hand,  in  the  all-wise  dispensation  of  His  power,  has 
thus  placed  a  bar  to  its  congelation  ;  and  he  will  read  In 


528 


PItOGUKHS   OF    ARCTIC   DlflCOVKRT. 


K  n 


W< 


II  I' 


>!> 


thia  another  symbol  of  Nature's  great  law  of  circulation, 
which,  giving  water  to  the  parched  earth,  and  moisture  to 
the  air,  moderates  as  well  the  temjierature  of  the  zones- 
cooling  the  Tropic  with  a  current  of  water  from  the  I' rigid, 
and  warming  the   I''rigid  witli  a  current  from  tiie  Tropic. 

'*  Hearing  these  facts  in  mind,  the  reader  will  perceive 
that  it  is  the  surface  water  only  which  ever  reaches  so  low 
a  temperature  that  it  is  changed  to  ice ;  and  he  will  also 
perceive  that  when  the  wind  moves  the  surface  water,  the 
particles  which  liave  become  chilletl  by  contact  with  the 
air  mingle  in  the  rolling  waves  with  the  warm  waters  be- 
neath, and  lienco  tii;il  ice  can  only  form  in  sheltereil  places, 
or  where  the  water  of  si.me  bay  is  so  shoal,  and  the  current 
so  slack,  that  it  becomes  chilled  to  the  very  bottom,  or 
where  the  air  over  the  sea  is  un,ifor!nly  calm.  He  will 
remember,  however,  that  the  wiiuts  blow  as  fiercely  over 
the  Polar  Sea  as  in  any  other  quirt.M' of  the  world;  and  he 
will,  therefore,  have  no  dithculty  in  crimprohending  that  the 
Polar  ice  covers  but  a  small  part  of  the  Polar  water;  and 
that  it  exists  only  where  it  is  nursed  and  protected  by  the 
land.  It  clings  to  tlrj  coasts  of  Siberia,  and  springing 
thence  across  Bering  Strait  to  America,  it  hugs  the  Amer- 
ican shore,  tills  the  narrow  channels  which  drain  the 
Polar  waters  into  IJatlin  IJay  through  the  Parry  Archipelago, 
crosses  thence  to  Greenlaiul,  from  (Greenland  to  Spitzber- 
gen,  and  from  Spitzbergen  lo  Nova-Zembla, — thus  investing 
the  Pole  in  an  uninterrupted  land-clinging  belt  of  ice,  more 
or  less  broken,  as  well  in  winter  as  in  summer,  and  the 
fragments  ever  moving  to  and  fro,  though  never  widely 
separating,  forming  a  barrier  against  which  all  the  arts  and 
energies  of  man  have  not  hitherto  prevailed 

"  With  the  warm  flood  of  the  Gulf  Stream  pouring  n'^  th- 
ward,  keeping  the  waters  of  the  Polar  Sea  at  a  temperature 
above  the  freezing  point,  while  the  winds,  blowing  as  con- 
stantly, under  the  Arctic  as  under  the  Tropic  sky,  and  the 
ceaseless  currents  of  the  sea  and  the  tide-flow  of  the  sur- 
face keep  the  waters  ever  in  movement,  it  is  not  possible 
that  even  any  considerable  portion  of  this  extensive  sea 
can  be  frozen  over.  At  no  point  within  the  Arctic  Circle 
has  there  been  found  an  ice-belt  extending,  either  in  Win- 
,  ter  or  in  Summer,  more  than  from  fifty  to  a  hundred  milea 


THE   OPK^i*    POLAll   SKA. 


529 


from  land.  And  even  in  the  narrow  channels  separating 
the  islands  of  the  I'urry  ArchipcJaj^o,  in  Ii.ifiin  liay  in  the 
North  Water,  and  in  the  mouth  of  Smith  Sound,  every- 
where within  the  broad  area  of  the  Frigid  Zone,  the  waters 
will  not  freeze  except  wl.crj  sheileied  by  the  land,  or  when 
an  ice-pack,  accumulated  by  a  long  continuance  of  winds 
from  one  quarter,  affords  the  same  protection.  That  the 
sea  does  not  close  except  when  at  rest,  I  had  abundant 
reason  to  know  during  the  late  winter  ;  for  at  all  times, 
even  when  the  temperature  of  the  air  was  below  the  freez- 
ing point  of  mercury,  1  could  hear  from  the  deck  of  the 
schooner  the  roar  of  the  beating  waves." 

In  a  previous  page,  we  spoke  of  this  cherished  idea  of 
an  "open  polar  sea,"  as  a  chimera  of  the  imagination, 
which  is  inconsistent  with  the  rigorous  experience  of  all 
who  have  ventured  into  that  region  of  death  during  any 
recorded  period  of  the  earth's  history.  On  this  subject 
'  Capt  Richards,  llygdrographer  to  the  Admiralty,  and  a 
a  member  of  the  English  Expedition  under  Capt.  Nares, 
of  1875,  says:  "The  latter-day  theory  of  an  open  Polar  Sea 
rests  on  no  foundation,  practical  or  philosophical.  Even  if 
it  could  be  shown  that  a  somewhat  higher  mean  temper- 
ature is  theoretically  due  in  »liat  area  where  the  sun  is  for 
six  consecutive  months  abo\  the  horizon,  and  for  a  similar 
period  below  it,  this  would  a  '  nothings  for  the  dissolution 
of  the  Winter's  ice  is  not  dei.eiuicnt  on  the  influenc*  of 
the  Summer's  heat  alone;  otherwise  t  lie  difficulties  of  Arc- 
tic navigation  would  disappear,  at  any  r  (e  for  some  short 
period,  during  every  season.  A  variety  of  other  elements 
are  equally  as  important.  Chief  among  them  is  the  a(  on 
•of  the  winds  and  tides  to  break  up  the  decayii  ..'.  floes,  but 
paramount  above  all  others  is  the  necessity  t>  r  sufficient 
outlets  for  the  escape  of  the  ice  so  broken  up  throughout 
the  vast  area  of  the  Polar  basin.  These  outlets  we  kr  w  do 
not  exist ;  an  insignificant  point  of  land,  morr  -  r,  will 
act  as  a  wedge,  or  the  prevalence  of  an  unfavo.aule  wind 
for  a  few  days  at  the  critical  period  will  suffice  to  decide 
the  question  whether  such  inlets,  so  important  as  Welling- 
ton Channel  in  Smith  Sound,  will  be  cjosed  or  open  during 
a  season.  From  a  ship's  masthead  or  a  mountain  summit 
the  visible  horizon  is  limited  by  the  curvature  of  the  eartli^ 


.-  it-jswtc-nrr,*! 


530 


PROOKKSS    OP    ARCTIC    DISCOVKUV. 


t^r 


ri 


l:  I 


and  those  who  have  navigated  in  these  regions  will  well 
remember  how  one  short  hour  has  carried  them  from  an 
apparently  open  sea  to  a  dead-lock,  with  no  streak  of  water 
in  sight.  Walter-skies  are  delusive  ;  an  insignificant  crack 
or  lane  in  the  ice  will  produce  them,  and  the  only  admis- 
sible evidence  of  a  I'olynia  or  navigable  I'olar  basin  must 
be  the  fact  that  a  ship  has  sailed  through  it." 

Captain  Narks  himself  says,  in  his  Journal,  June  22, 
1876: — "  It  would  .'  iipear  that  the  sun,  unassisted  by  other 
causes,  is,  after  a  cold  winter,  not  sulhciently  powerful  to 
produce  a  thaw  on  a  snow-clad  ground  nntil  it  attains  an 
altitude  of  about  30'*;  if  this  is  the  case,  then  at  the  North 
Pole  it  is  doubtful  if  the  snow  ever  becomes  melted." 

Capiain  FiaLDEN,  the  naturalist  of  Nares'  expedition, 
says:  "  If  there  be  an  extension  of  land  to  (he  northern- 
most part  of  our  globe,  I  see  no  reason  why  a  few  species 
of  birds  should  not  resort  there  to  breed.  'J'here  would 
still  be  sufficient  summer,  if  such  a  term  may  be  used,  for 
the  period  of  incubation  ;  and  from  what  I  have  seen  of 
the  transporting  {)owers  of  the  wind  in  drifting  seeds  over 
the  frozen  expanse  cf  the  Polar  Sea,  1  cannot  doubt  that 
a  scanty  Hora  exists  at  the  Pole  itself,  if  there  be  any  land 
there,  and  that  the  abundance  of  insect  life  which  exists 
as  high  as  the  eighty-third  degree  will  be  present  at  the 
ninetieth,  sufficient  to  provide  for  a  few  knots,  sanderllngs, 
and  turiistones." 


The  Open  Polar  Ska  of  the  Future. 


!:l 


[1 


But  while  the  pol.ir  regions  are  indisputably  ice-bound 
and  uninhabitable  by  civilized  men,  and  must  so  remain 
for  thousands  of  years  to  come — iIkmc  was  a  period  in  the 
early  history  of  the  earth  when  mild  climates  prevailed  at 
the  pole — and  the  hypothesis  is  equally  tenable  that  in  the 
revolving  cycles  of  time,  so  distant  in  futurity  that  only  the 
boldest  scientists  will  presume  to  compute  it  at  10,000  to 
12,000  years,  the  icy  zones  will  again  enjoy  an  equable 
and  life-sustaining  temperature.  This  theory  is  ably  main- 
tained by  Mr.  James  Croll  in  Climate  and  Cosmology  (Ap- 


POLAR   SKA   OF   THE   FUTURE. 


531 


pletans),  and  the  following  bare  outline  of  his  'views  will 
not  be  inappropriate  in  connection  with  these  speculations 
regarding  an  Open  I'ohir  Sea. 

it  is  an  indisputable  datum  of  geology  that  at  some  for- 
mer epoch  the  polar  regions  enjoyed  a  comparatively  mild 
and  equable  climate,  and  that  places  now  buried  under 
permanent  snow  and  ice  were  then  covered  with  a  riv:h  and 
luxuriant  vegetation.  Attempts  to  account  for  this  remark* 
able  state  of  things  have  been  made  by  postulating  a 
different  distribution  of  sea  and  land,  a  change  in  the  ob- 
liquity of  the  ecliptic,  and  a  displacement  of  the  earth's 
axis  of  rotation.  The  reasons  for  rejecting  such  theories 
arc  set  forth  at  length  by  Mr.  Croll,  but  passing  over  these, 
we  come  at  once  to  the  explanation  which  he  is  persuaded 
is  the  true  one.  The  steps  by  which  he  reaches  his  con- 
clusions are  the  following :  The  annual  quantity  of  heat 
received  from  the  sun  at  the  equator  is  to  that  at  the  poles 
as  twelve  to  five,  and  if  the  same  percentage  of  rays  were 
cut  oiT  by  the  atmosphere  at  both  places,  their  temperatures 
would  differ  in  the  same  ratio.  As  a  matter  of  fact,  more 
rays  are  cut  off  at  the  poles  than  at  the  equator,  and  con- 
sequently the  difference  in  the  amount  of  heat  received 
!rom  the  sun  is  actually  much  greater.  But  we  may  waive 
Jiis  hypothetical  excess  of  polar  cold,  because  in  truth  the 
pcflar  temperature  is  very  much  nearer  the  equatorial  than 
would  be  indicated  by  the  ratio  five  to  twelve,  and  the 
problem  is  to  account  for  this  surprising  approximation. 
The  mean  difference  of  temperature  ought  not  to  be  less 
(although  probably  more)  than  2oo'>  Fahr.,  but  the  ac|nal 
difference  docs  not  much,  if  at  all,  exceed  Sc.  But  since 
this  paradoxical  increment  of  heat  does  not  come  directly 
from  the  sun's  rays,  how  is  it  obtained  ?  Obviously  by  a 
transference  of  heat  from  the  equator  to  the  poles.  But 
how  was  this  transference  effected  ?  There  were  only  two 
agencies  available,  to  wit,  aerial  or  ocean  currents.  But 
Mr.  Croll  has  demonstrated  thg^t  the  amount  of  heat  con- 
veyable  from  the  equator  to  the  poles  by  means  of  aerial 
currents  is  trifling;  consequently  the  transference  must  be 
attributed  to  the  currents  of  the  ocean.  Yet  if  it  can  trans- 
form a  polar  into  a  temperate  climate,  the  influence  of 
ocean  currents  in  the  distribution  of  heat  over  the  globe 


mfmtlmm 


6^2 


rnoouKss  of  Aiumc  DiscoVEUf. 


ti 


if 


u\ 


.V    t 


U 


Ift      I 


must  manfcstly  linve  been  hitherto  enormously  under-ftsti- 
mated  :  .uul  it  becomes  important  to  determine  with  .is  much 
exactitude  as  jiossible  the  amount  of  heat  actually  being 
conveyed  northward  from  the  ecjuator  by  this  agency.  Now 
the  only  great  current  whose  volume  and  temperature  have 
been  ascertained  with  an  approach  to  certainty  is  the  Gulf 
Stream.  The  absolute  amount  of  heat  borne  northward 
by  that  stream  is  computed  to  be  more  than  equal  to  all 
the  heat  received  from  the  sun  within  a  zone  of  the  earth's 
surface,  extending  tiiirty-two  miles  on  each  side  of  the 
equator.  Or,  in  other  words,  as  a  little  calculation  will 
demonstrate,  the  aomunt  of  equatorial  heat  carried  into 
temperate  and  polar  regions  by  this  stream  alone  is  equal 
to  one-fourth  of  all  the  heat  received  from  the  sun  by  the 
North  Atlantic,  from  the  Tropic  of  Cancer  up  to  the  Arctic 
Circle.  But  there  are  several  other  great  currents,  some  of 
which,  though  not  yet  subjected  to  as  careful  mensuration, 
are  believed  to  convey  as  much  heat  poleward  as  the  Gulf 
Stream.  Taking  into  account,  then,  the  influence  of  the 
whole  system  of  oceanic  circulation,  we  can  no  longer  feel 
surprised  that  the  difterence  of  temperature  between  the 
equator  and  the  poles  should  be  reduced  from  2000  to  800. 
The  real  cause  of  former  comparatively  mild  climates  in 
Arctic  regions  is  thus  revealed:  "All  that  was  necessasy 
to  confer  on,  say,  Greenland,  a  condition  of  climate  which 
would  admit  of  the  growth  of  a  luxuriant  vegetation,  is 
simply  an  ncrease  in  the  amount  of  heat  transferred  from 
equatorial  to  Arctic  regions  by  means  of  ocean  currents." 
No^is  any  very  great  amount  of  increase  needed  for  the 
purpose,  for  "tie  severity  of  the  climate  of  that  region  is 
about  as  much  due  to  the  cooling  effect  of  the  permanent 
snow  and  ice  as  to  an  actual  want  of  heat.  An  increase 
in  the  amount  of  warm  water  entering  the  Arctic  Ocean, 
just  sufficient  to  prevent  the  formation  ^f  permanent  ice, 
IS  all  that  is  really  necessary  ;  for  were  it  not  for  the  pres- 
ence of  ice  the  summers  of  Greenland  would  be  as  warm 
as  those  of  England."  The  same  considerations  of  course, 
point  to  another  result  of  a  converse  character.  "If  a 
large  increase  in  the  volume  and  temperature  of  the  stream 
would  confer  on  Greenland  and  the  Arctic  regions  a  con- 
dition of  climate  something  like  that  of  Northwestern  £u*. 


MILD  CLIMATE   IN   THK  ABCTIO. 


688 


I 


IS 


m, 
:e, 
;s- 


n- 


rope,  it  is  obvious  thnt  a  large  decrease  iti  its  temperature 
and  volume  would,  on  the  other  hand,  lead  to  a  state  of 
things  in  Northwestern  Kurope  approaching  to  that  which 
now  prevails  in  Greenland.  A  decrease  leads  to  a  glacial, 
an  increase  to  an  interglacial  condition  of  things." 

We  are  brought  next  to  the  inqui'-y,  what,  according  to 
Mr.  Croll,  were  the  causes  of  such  pregnant  changes  in  the 
volume  and  temperature  of  the  cjeai.  currents.  His  po- 
sition is  that  adequate  causes  may  oe  foutxl  in  physical 
agencies,  stimulated  or  checke(i  by  changes  in  tlie  eccen- 
tricity of  the  earth's  orbit,  provided  the  heat-transferring 
power  of  such  agencies  is  suffered  to  be  operative  by  such 
geographical  conditions  as  now  exist,  and  which  there  is 
not  an  atom  of  evidence  for  believing  have  been  materially 
altered  since  the  glacial  epoch.  It  is  unnecessary  to  post- 
ulate the  submergence  or  the  elevation  of  continents,  or 
the  existence  of  extra  inter-continental  channels,  transport- 
ing northward  additional  heat  currents,  and  thus  contribut- 
ing to  ameliorate  the  climate  of  the  pole.  The  geograpliical 
conditions  and  the  physical  agencies  which  actually  exist 
are  amply  sufficient  to  account  for  all  the  facts.  "  When 
the  eccentricity  of  the  earth's  orbit  is  at  a  high  value,  and 
the  northern  winter  solstice  is  in  perihelion,  agencies  are 
brought  into  operation  which  make  the  southeast  trade 
winds  stronger  than  the  northeast,  and  compel  them  to 
blow  over  upon  the  northern  hemisphere  as  far  probably 
as  the  Tropic  of  Cancer.  The  result  is  that  all  the  great 
equatorial  currents  of  the  ocean  are  impelled  into  the  north- 
ern hemisphere,  which  thus,  in  consequence  of  the  imniense 
accumulation  of  v/arm  water,  has  its  temperature  raised, 
and  snow  and  ice  to  a  great  extent  must  then  disappear 
from  the  Arctic  regions.  When  contrariwise,  the  proces- 
sion of  the  equinoxes  brings  round  the  winter  solstice  to 
aphelion,  the  condition  of  things  on  the  two  hemispheres 
is  reversed,  and  the  northeast  trades  then  blow  over  upon 
the  southern  hemisphere,  carrying  the  great  equatorial  cur- 
rents along  with  them.  The  warm  water  being  thus  wholly 
withdrawn  from  the  northern  hemisphere,  its  temperature 
sinks  enormously,  and  snow  and  ice  begin  to  accumulate 
in  temperate  regions." 

It  will,  of  course,  be  noted  that,  according  to  this  theory, 


534 


PUOORESS    OP   ARCTIC   DISCOVKBY. 


11 


the  maximum  of  cold  at  the  north  pole  would  result  from 
the  coincidence  of  a  maximum  eccentricity  in  the  earth's 
orbit  with  the  occurrence  of  winter  in  aphelion.  Mr.  Croll 
states  that  the  mean  interval  between  two  consecutive  in- 
terglacial  periods  (corresponding  to  the  time  required  by 
the  equinoctial  point  to  pass  from  perihelion  round  to  per- 
ihelion) is  not,  as  is  commonly  assumed,  21,000,  but  23,230 
years.  At  intervals,  therefore,  of  from  10,000  to  12,000 
years  the  north  pole  will  experience  the  extreme  of  cold 
and  the  extreme  of  heat  compatible  with  the  coincident 
geographical  conditions,  and  with  the  coincident  eccen- 
tricity of  the  earth's  orbit,  the  latter  factor  being  ascertain- 
able from  Croll's  tables. 

The  final  result,  therefore,  to  which  Mr.  Croll  would, 
lead  us  is,  that  those  warm  and  cold  periods  which  have 
alternately  prevailed  during  past  ages, are  simply  the  great 
secular  summers  and  winters  of  our  globe,  depending  as 
truly  as  the  annual  ones  do  upon  planetary  motions,  and 
like  them  also  fulfilling  some  important  ends  in  the  econ- 
omy of  nature. 


The  Glacier  System, 


I 


mi 


'5i       I 


Dr.  Hayes'  journey  over  the  Afcr  dc  Glace,  and  his  re 
newed  inspection  of  the  great  Glacier  discovered  by  Dr. 
Kane,  have  been  referi  ;d  to  on  a  preceding  page.  He 
discusses  the  glacier  system  of  Greenland  in  his  "  Open 
Polar  Sea,"  where  he  says  :  "  Greenland  may  be  regarded 
as  a  vast  reservoir  of  ice.  U,pon  the  slopes  of  its  lofty 
hil+s,  the  downy  snowflake  has  become  the  hardened  crys- 
tal, and  increasing  little  by  little  from  year  to  year  and 
century  to  century,  a  broad  cloak  of  frozen  vapor  has 
at  length  completely  overspread  the  land,  and  along  its 
wide  border  there  pour  a  thousand  crystal  streams  into  the 
sea.  The  manner  of  the  glacier  growth,  beginning  in 
some  remote  epoch,  when  Greenland,  nursed  in  warmth 
and  sunshine  [see  Mr.  Croll's  hypothesis]  was  clothed 
with  vegetation,  is  a  subject  of  much  interest  to  the  student 
of  physical  geography.    The  explanation  of  the  phenom- 


THE   GLACIER   SYSTEM. 


585 


and 


ena  is,  however,  greatly  simplified  by  the  knowledge 
which  various  explorers  have  contributed  from  the  Al^-s, — 
a  quarter  having  all  the  value  of  the  Greenland  mounta  ns, 
as  illustrating  the  laws  which  govern  the  formation  and  move- 
ments of  mountain  ice,  and  which  possesses  the  important 
advantage  of  greater  accessibility.  It  was  easy  to  perceive 
in  the  grand  old  bed  of  ice  over  which  I  had  travelled, 
those  same  physical  markings  which  had  arrested  the  at- 
tention of  Agassiz  and  Forbes  and  Tyndall,  and  it  was  a 
satisfaction  to  have  confirmed  by  actual  experiment  in  the 
field  the  reflections  of  the  study,  to  be  able  to  make  a  com- 
parison between  the  Alpine  and  the  Greenland  ice." 

Dr.  Hayes  then  quotes  the  conclusion  of  the  Abbd  M.  Le 
Chanoine  Rendu,  published  in  the  Memoirs  of  the  Royal 
Academy  of  Sciences  of  Savoy — "  That  the  glacier  and  the 
river  are  in  effect  the  same ;  that  between  them  there  is  a 
resemblance  so  complete  that  it  is  impossible  to  find  in  the 
latter  a  circumstance  which  does  not  exist  in  the  former; 
and  as  the  river  drains  the  ivaters  which  fall  upon  the  hill- 
sides to  the  ocean,  so  the  glacier  drains  the  ice  which 
forms  from  the  snows  on  the  mountain  sides  down  to  the 
same  level."  And,  "  the  conceiving  will  of  the  Creator  has 
employed  for  the  permanence  of  His  work,  'the  great  law  of 
circulation,  which,  strictly  examined,  is  found  to  reproduce 
itself  in  all  parts  of  Nature."  On  this  Dr.  Hayes  com- 
ments as  follows  :  "  A  glacier  is,  in  effect,  but  a  float- 
ing stream  of  frozen  water ;  and  the  rwer  sysfe?ns  of 
the  Temperate  and  Equatorial  Zones  become  the  gla- 
cier systems  of  the  Arctic  and  the  Antarctic.  The  iceberg 
is  the  discharge  of  the  Arctic  river,  the  Arctic  river  is 
the  glacier,  and  the  glacier  is  the  accumulation  of  the 
frozen  vapors  of  the  air.  Moving  on  its  slow  and  steady 
course  from  the  distant  hills,  at  length  it  reaches  the 
sea,  which  tears  from  the  slothful  stream  a  monstrous 
fragment,  taking  back  to  itself  its  own  again.  Freed 
from  the  shackles  which  it  has  borne  in  silence 
through  unnumbered  centuries,  th>s  new-born  child  of  the 
ocean  rushes  with  a  wild  bound  into  the  arms  of  the  parent 
water,  where  it  is  caressed  by  the  surf  and  nursed  into 
life  again  ;  and  the  crystal  drops  receive  their  long-lost 
freedom,  and  fly  away  on  the  laughing  waves  to  catch  once 


\i 


ii 


!!;; 


i!! 


i 


'!'  / 


m^ 


!'' ' 


t  I, 


636 


PROGRESS   OP   ARCTIC   DISCOVERY. 


more  the  sunbeam,  and  to  run  again  their  course  through 
the  long  cycle  of  the  ages." 

As  the  iceberg,  its  formation,  its  laws,  its  uses  and  ends, 
are  the  most  interesting  theme  suggested  by  Arctic  dis- 
coveries, we  subjoin  the  following  remarks  and  obser- 
vations, by  Mr.  Charles  Hallock,  upon  a  recent  trip  to 
Alaska :  — 

THE  HOME  OF  THE   ICEBERG. 

How  THE  Outputs  of  the  Great  Alaska  Glaciers  ap- 
pear— Watching  the  Icy  Mountains  thrown  off 
BY  Heat  and  Expansion — A  Roaring  as  of  Artil- 
lery IN  the  Air — Scenes  in  Northern  Seas 

The  excursion  steamer  which  makes  its  monthly  trips 
from  Portland,  Oregon,  to  Sitka  and  beyond,  cruises  along 
a  thousand  miles  of  Alaskan  coast.  No  fewer  than  five 
large  glaciers  can  be  seen,  including  the  Davidson,  Sum- 
down,  Patterson,  Taku,  and  Muir.  The  Muir  and  David- 
son glaciers  are  spurs  or  outflows  of  the  same  ice  field, 
which  has  an  unbroken  expanse  of  four  hundred  miles — 
large  enough  to  lay  over  the  whole  domain  of  Switzerland. 
The  Muir  is  the  ultimate  objective  point  of  sight-seers,  who 
by  the  time  they  have  become  accustomed  to  the  un- 
familiar blending  of  Mediterranean  with  Alpine  scenery  so 
exclusively  characteristic  of  flie  North  Pacific  coast,  are 
partially  prepared  for  the  astounding  revelation  which 
presently  awaits  them  at  the  head  of  Glacier  Bay.  This 
bay  is  about  120  miles  northeast  of  Sitka,  and  lies  in  lat. 
59"  40'.  It  is  the  most  northern  point  reached  on  the 
trip.  Sitka  has  yet  to  be  visited,  but  that  polyglot  settle- 
ment occupies  a  secondary  place  in  the  anticipations  of 
those  whose  conceptions  of  a  glacier  have  been  inspired  by 
visions  or  readings  of  the  Matterhorn  or  Rhone. 

Until  a  comparatively  recent  period  glacial  dynamics 
have  remained  to  a  certain  extent  a  matter  of  theory.  The 
birth  of  an  iceberg  is  said  to  be  a  phenomenon  unknown  in 
Europe.  On  that  continent  the  glacial  force  's  almost 
spent,  and  he  who  would  witness  the  mighty  outcome  of 
its  latent  power  must  seek  it  on  the  confines  of  the  New 


tttE   HOME   OF   THE   ICEBBRO. 


587 


World.  He  will  not  find  it  in  the  fastnesses  of  Switzerland. 
There  the  once  overwhelming  accumulations  of  snow,  which 
filled  the  mountain  valleys  to  the  level  of  their  topmost 
peaks,  no  longer  supply  the  glacial  streams  with  material 
for  bergs.  The  ice  fields  have  dwindled  to  insignificant 
areas,  and  their  discharge  is,  for  the  most  part,  fluvial, 
though  much  of  their  bulk  is  dissipated  by  evaporation  or 
absorption  into  the  warm  earth  of  the  lower  altitudes. 
liut  in  Greenland,  which  has  recently  been  investigated  by 
Danish  explorers,  the  ice  fields  were  found  to  cover  the 
country  liice  a  pail,  for  1,500  miles,  from  Cape  Farewell  to 
the  furthest  discovered  point,  and  their  breadth  is  abso- 
lutely unknown.  Out  of  the  almost  interminable  waste  of 
frigid  desolation  pours  the  great  glacier  Sermitsialik,  with  a 
width  of  from  two  to  four  miles,  completely  occupying  the 
valley  out  of  which  it  debouches  to  the  depth  of  2,000  feet 
or  more.  It  is  only  one  of  hundreds  of  similar  frozen 
rivers,  all  of  which,  as  far  as  is  known,  are  pigmies  beside 
the  great  Humboldt  glacier  discovered  by  Dr.  Kane  at  the 
head  of  Smith  Sound.  This  is  sixty  miles  in  width,  with 
enclosing  walls  of  rock  a  thousand  feet  high.  Its  front 
abuts  the  sea,  and  is  washed  by  the  waves  like  any  other 
coast  line. 

From  these  Titanic  sources  of  perpetual  supply  are  emit- 
ted those  stupendous  icebergs  which  fill  the  north  Atlantic 
from  June  to  August  to  an  extent  that  dozens  can  be  count- 
ed from  the  masthead  within  the  scope  of  view.  The 
dimensions  of  some  of  them  are  incredible.  I  have  seen 
one  off  the  coast  of  Labrador  which  was  estimated  to  be 
two  miles  long  and  300  feet  high ;  and  this  great  mass  was 
sloughed  off  entire  from  the  Humboldt  sea  wall  with  one 
tremendous  cleavage,  plunge,  and  surge,  as  a  great  ship 
leaves  the  ways.  Such  mountains  of  ice  are  perpetually 
falling  all  along  the  line,  with  an  intermittent  crash  and 
roar  like  the  tumult  of  a  tempest.  The  din  of  the  great 
commotion  can  be  heard  for  miles.  It  is  an  axiom  that 
mechanical  forces  are  best  comprehended  by  their  pro- 
ducts; so  that  no  one  can  begin  to  realize  what  a  stupend- 
ous factor  a  glacier  is  until  he  sees  the  measure  of  its 
infinite  power  thus  made  supremely  manifest. 

The  glaciers  of  the  North  Pacific  are  much  smaller  in 


»>->% 


538 


PROGllESS   OF    AUCTTC  DISCOVERY. 


!'i;i 


comparison,  but  the  Muir  is  three  miles  long,  with  a  per- 
pendicular face  of  400  feet,  stretching  like  a  frozen  water- 
fall or  gigantic  dam  entirely  across  the  head  of  the  bay. 
Its  breast  is  as  blue  as  turquoise.  At  a  distance  it  looks  like 
a  fillet  rent  from  the  azure  sky  and  laid  across  the  brow  of 
the  cliff.  When  the  full  blaze  of  the  southwestern  sun 
lights  up  its  opalescence,  it  gleams  like  the  gates  of  the 
celestial  city.  I  suppose  that  an  iceberg  of  no  insignificant 
size  is  sloughed  off  from  some  portion  of  its  sea  wall  as 
often  as  once  in  five  minutes,  but  these  detachments  sel- 
dom represent  more  than  a  limited  section,  and  most  of 
them  break  up  into  comparatively  small  fragments  before 
they  are  fairly  launched  on  their  seaward  journey.  Visit- 
ors are  told  that  glaciers  move  at  a  rate  of  so  many  feet  or 
inches  daily.  Ocular  evidence  may  be  obtained  by  fixed 
landmarks,  which  indicate  a  stated  progression.  From  the 
size  and  frequency  of  the  cleavages  here  it  would  seem 
that  the  progress  of  the  Muir  must  be  several  rods  a  day, 
though  an  estimate  can  only  be  approximated,  as  there  is 
no  true  alignment,  and  the  centre  moves  faster  than  the 
sides. 

Long  before  the  steamer  reaches  the  entrance  of  Glacier 
Bay  straggling  lumps  of  ice  appear  dazzling  white,  and 
resting  like  blocks  of  marble  on  the  polished  sea,  which  is 
scarcely  moved  by  an  imperceptible  swell  pulsating  through 
the  Sound.  The  sun  is  warm  and  grateful,  and  the  sky 
without  a  cloud,  excepting  those  which  stretch  like  filmy 
gauze  from  peak  to  peak,  the  temperature  perhaps  60°  in 
the  shade.  Half  of  the  passengers  have  never  seen  an  ice 
cake  and  they  are  eager  with  excitement  to  get  near  the 
polar  videttes  which  are  drifting  by,  away  off  under  the 
land.  The  course  of  the  vessel  bears  gradually  toward  the 
headland  at  the  entrance,  and  the  lumps  of  ice  become  more 
numerous.  Bevies  of  ladies  rush  to  the  taffrail  as  one  of 
them  passes  close  under  the  counter.  Presently  a  passing 
promontory  opens  out  a  large  iceberg  of  fantastic  shape, 
and  then  another,  tall  and  stately,  with  turrets  like  a  castle. 
Sea  gulls,  hagden  and  shags  hover  about  their  gleaming 
walls  like  snow  flakes  in  the  air,  or  sit  in  solemn  ranks 
upon  the  battlements.  Objects  change  positions  constantly 
and  countermarch  across  the  field  of  view.    Fancies  dis* 


THK    HOME   OF    THE   ICEltEROS. 


539 


the 
the 
the 


solve  before  they  are  scarcely  forinctl.  Reflections  from 
Ihe  land  appear  in  darksome  shades  across  the  water,  and 
/rom  the  looming  icebergs  in  tremulous  semblances,  ghost- 
like and  pallid.  The  scenic  ettects,  al  once  so  magical  and 
duplicated  evei^'where,  ;j;ro\v  momentarily  more  wciiil. 

Meantime  the  sleamui  slacks  her  headway,  slows  down, 
and  presently  with  a  sullen  thud  lays  alongside  a  small 
berg,  whose  rounded  apex  peers  up  over  the  dead  eyes  into 
the  head  of  the  compinionway,  looking  for  all  the  world 
as  if  it  was  going  to  come  aboard.  All  the  curious  ladies 
pipe  a  combination  scream,  and  make  for  the  door  of  the 
Captain's  stateroom.  Then  the  quarter  boat  is  swung  out 
of  the  davits  and  lowered  away,  and  the  stewaf'd  and  the 
mate  and  the  sailors  tackle  the  glistening  harlequin  with 
pikes  and  axes,  and,  after  much  chopping  and  maneeuvring 
with  bights  and  bowlines,  contrive  to  split  off  a  big  lump, 
and  hoist  it  inboard  with  a  sling.  This  supply  is  for  the 
ice  chest.  How  pure  and  cold  and  beautiful  and  trans- 
parent it  is  !  How  precious  to  passengers  who  have  beei 
for  two  days  stinted,  and  to  the  steward  whose  meat  was 
likely  to  spoil !  The  chunks  cut  off  seem  colorless,  but 
the  central  core  of  the  berg  itself  glows  like  a  great  blue 
eye,  sentient  and  expressive,  with  ihat  sort  of  poetical  light 
termed  "  spirituelle."  You  never  tire  of  gazing  into  the 
translucent  depths  of  the  glacier  ice,  whose  radiance  em!i- 
lates  the  blue  and  green  of  beryl,  torquoise,  chrisophas  and 
emerald.  You  gaze  into  them  as  into  the  arcana  of  the 
empyrean,  with  some  vague  awe  of  their  mysterious  source, 
and  the  intangible  causes  which  gave  them  birth.  And  the 
grand  icebergs  ! — so  cold,  yet  so  majestic,  so  solid  yet  so 
unsubstantial ;  so  massive,  yet  so  ethereal ! — whose  bast- 
ions and  battlements  are  mighty  enough  to  shiver  an  onset, 
and  yet  so  volatile  that  the  warmth  of  wooing  spring  will 
dissipate  them  into  vapor.  Children  of  the  Arctic  frost 
conceived  in  the  upper  air,  inspired  by  the  effulgent  sun, 
and  moulded  in  the  bowels  of  intensest  congelation,  the 
human  mind  cannot  contemplate  them  without  a  sympa« 
thetic  inspiration,  for  their  duplex  entity  is  so  like  oui 
combination  of  soul  and  body ! 

A  stiff  breeze  was  blowing  as  we  entered  Glacier  Bay, 
and  the  breath  came  bitterly  cold  from  off  the  ice  field* 


640 


PROGRESS    OP   ARCTIC   DISCOVERY. 


1    ! ' 


The  bay  was  filled  with  floathig  bergs  and  floes,  and  the 
temperature  dropjDed  quite  rapidly  to  46".  The  ruffled 
surface  of  the  water  assumed  that  peculiar  tinge  of  cold 
steel  gray  which  landscapes  wear  in  winter.  The  atmos- 
phere put  on  a  sympathetic  hue  and  grew  pci^ceptibly  denser. 
Snow  covered  all  the  peaks,  and  the  Mer  de  Glace  spread 
out  before  us  like  a  great  white  apron  on  the  lap  of  the 
mountain.  It  is  twelve  miles  from  the  entrance  to  the 
head  of  the  bay,  and  over  the  entire  landscape  nature 
seemed  dead.  Not  a  living  thing  appeared — not  a  gull  on 
the  wing  or  a  seal  in  the  gloomy  fiords.  Desolation  reigned 
throughout,  for  there  was  nothing  to  sustain  life.  The 
creation  was  all  new,  and  the  glacier  was  still  at  work  grad- 
ually preparing  it  for  the  abode  of  organic  life.  Darkness 
only  was  needed  to  relegate  us  to  the  primordium  of  chaos. 
But  the  sun  was  bright  on  the  distant  peaks,  which  enclosed 
the  bay  on  all  sides,  and  their  intangible,  ghostly  outlines, 
scarcely  distinguished  from  the  fieecy  clouds  about  them, 
seemed  indefinitely  beyond  the  convex  line  of  earth.  Sel- 
dom is  mundane  gloom  and  supernal  glory  contrasted  by 
such  startling  juxtaposition. 

As  the  sieamer  neared  the  glacier,  speculations  began 
respecting  the  height  of  its  perpendicular  front,  but  no  one 
guessed  higher  than  the  vessel's  topmast.  It  was  only 
when  she  lay  anchored  in  ninety  fathoms  of  water,  close 
under  the  ice,  and  not  a  quarter  of  a  mile  trom  shore,  that 
spectators  began  to  conceive  the  magnitude  of  the  glacier 
and  ail  its  surroundings.  The  glacier  wall  overhung  us 
with  its  mighty  majesty,  and  we  seemed  none  too  far  away 
to  escape  the  constantly  cleaving  masses  which  dropped 
from  its  face  with  deafening  detonations.  The  foam  which 
gathered  from  the  impetus  of  the  plunges  surged  upward 
fully  two-thirds  of  the  height  of  the  cliff,  and  the  resulting 
swell  tossed  the  large  steamer  like  a  toy,  and  rolled  up  in 
breakers  of  surf  upon  the  beach.  The  vessel  was  in  actual 
danger  from  the  fragments  of  ice  which  occasionally  tlTump- 
ed  against  her  sides.  Indeed,  her  wheels  were  afterward 
badly  mashed  in  making  her  way  out  of  the  bay  into  open 
water.  A  paddle  wheel  steamer  is  unfit  for  such  navigation, 
and  I  suppose  a  propeller  will  be  used  hereafter. 

The  glacier  wall  is  by  no  means  smooth,  but  is  seamed 


T€5;   HOME   OF   THE   ICEBERGS. 


541 


and  riv^jii  in  every  part  by  clefts  and  fissures.  It  is  hol- 
lowed into  caverns  and  grottoes,  hung  with  massive  stal- 
actites, and  fashioned  into  pinnacles  and  domes.  Every 
section  and  configuration  has  its  heart  of  translucent  blue 
or  green,  interlaced  or  bordered  by  fretted  frost-work  of 
intensest  white  ;  so  that  the  appearance  is  at  all  times 
gnome-likt  and  supernatural.  No  portion  of  the  wall  ever 
seems  to  pitch  forward  all  at  once  in  a  sheer  fall  from  top 
to  bottom,  but  sections  split  off  from  the  but'.resses,  or 
drop  from  midway  or  tl)e  top.  The  apparent  slowness  of 
their  descent  is  sublimity  itself,  because  itcarries  withitthe 
measure  of  its  stupendous  vastness  and  inappreciable  height. 
Impressions  of  magnitude  and  majestv,  I  opine,  are  not 
conveyed  so  much  by  any  relative  stanrlard  of  comparison 
as  by  the  degree  with  which  we  come  within  the  range 
of  their  power  or  influence.  One  must  realize  before  he 
can  appreciate,  and  he  cannot  realize  fully  until  he  becomes 
to  a  certain  extent  a  participator.  Proximity  shudders  and 
trembles  at  what  remoteness  and  impunity  views  with  dis- 
passionate equanimity.  I  cannot  conceive  how  any  one 
can  sit  close  by  and  contemplate  without  emotion  the  stu- 
pendous throes  which  give  birth  to  the  icebergs,  attended 
with  detonations  like  explosions  of  artillery  and  reverber- 
ations of  thunder  across  the  sky,  and  the  mighty  wreckage 
which  follows  each  convulsion.  He  would  hardly  be  ap- 
palled at  the  crack  of  dorm.  I  say  we  cannot  estimate  their 
magnitude  by  contiguois  objects,  because  they  are  all  un- 
familiar. The  steamer  iiself,  although  considerable  in  size 
seems  like  an  atom.  Asfor  the  rest,  the  fragments  of  ice 
which  are  seen  stranded  along  the  beach,  looking  no  larger 
tl^n  blocks,  measure  twelve  feet  high.  Those  lumps  drift- 
ing past  yonder  fiord  are  icebergs  higher  than  our  top- 
mast. Tb'"  other  side  of  the  bay  which,  we  imagine,  oncr 
could  swii  ;j  across  with  ease,  is  five  miles  off.  The  ice 
ledge  itself  is  four  hundred  feet  high.  The  peaks  in  the 
distance,  forty  miles  away,  are  sixteen  thousand  feet  above 
the  level  of  the  sea.  There  is  the  Devil's  Thumb,  looking 
no  higher  than  the  Washington  monument,  a  sheer  mono- 
lith six  thousand  feet  high,  »vith  faces  almost  perpendicular. 
The  timber  line  around  the  feet  of  the  distant  ranges 
resembles  a  cincture  of  moss. 


542 


PEOGREBfS   OP  ARCTIC  DISCOVERT. 


1 

<  1 

^i 

'4 

1 

From  a  pinnacle  of  elevation  overlooking  the  Muir  ice 
field,  which  is  obtained  by  en  arduous  half-day's  climb, 
although  some  expected  to  accomplish  it  in  an  hour,  one 
one  can  count  no  less  than  fifteen  tributary  glacial  streams, 
any  one  of  which  is  as  large  as  the  great  Rhone  glacier 
ouer  which  European  tourists  go  into  ecstacies.  Drawn 
from  the  inexhaustible  but  annually  diminishing  accumu- 
lations of  snow  which  fill  the  mountain  valleys  to  a  depth 
of  at  least  2,000  feet,  these  separate  streams  of  plastic  con- 
gelation unite  like  the  strands  of  a  rope  to  form  the  irre- 
sistible current  of  the  Muir.  The  surface  of  the  glacier  is 
not  uniformly  level  and  smooth  like  a  boulevard.  It  has 
its  drifts  and  dykes,  its  cascades,  riffs  and  rapids  like  any 
unfrozen  river.  In  the  immediate  front  and  extending  a 
mile  or  more  back,  its  whole  surface  is  the  most  rugged 
formation  imaginable.  It  is  utterly  impossible  for  any  liv- 
ing creature  to  traverse  it,  being  in  fact  a  compacted  aggre- 
gation of  wedge-shaped  and  rounded  cones  of  solid  ice, 
capped  by  discolored  and  disintegrating  snow.  But  away 
back  in  the  mountain  passes  it  is  easily  traversed  with 
sledges  or  snow-shoes.  Indians  cross  the  divide  at  sundry 
places  all  along  the  coast  from  the  Stikeen  to  Copper  Riven 

Looking  afar  off  into  the  blank  perspective  the  icy  rev 
enforcements,  which  pour  out  of  the  piountain  fastnesses 
like  gathering  clans,  seem  compacted  into  indefinable  fleecy 
masses,  while  in  the  immediate  van  they  pass  in  review  in 
serried  phalanxes  of  cowled  and  hooded  monks  twenty  feet 
tall,  wrapped  in  dirty  toques  and  capuchins,  snow-powdered, 
and  bedraggled,  and  pressing  forward  with  never  ceasing 
march,  as  if  all  the  lifelong  denizens  of  the  Gothard  and 
St.  Bernard  had  set  out  at  once  to  temper  their  frigid 
tongues  in  the  tepid  waters  which  are  warmed  by  the  Kuro- 
siwo.  In  other  places,  where  the  mer  de  glace  is  level  like 
a  plain,  its  surface  is  seamed  with  deep  crevasses  and 
slashed  with  rifts  and  chasms  whose  sides  and  walls  deep 
down  for  sixty  feet  are  dazzling  blue.  Thus  the  incipient 
bergs  are  split  and  carved  and  chiselled  and  prepared  for 
their  final  segregation,  so  that  they  will  break  off  easily 
when  they  reach  the  front.  Meantime  the  sub-glacial  river 
which  is  flowing  underneath  biloys  up  the  ice  and  floats  it 
to  the  sea. 


THE  HOME   OF   THE   ICEBERG, 


543 


one 


It  is  estimated,  by  soundings  made  as  near  as  vessels 
dare  approach,  that  it  is  fully  eight  hundred  feet  deep. 
The  water  flows  beneath  the  glacier  just  as  it  does  under 
the  deposit  of  a  sno'.v-laden  roof,  forming  icicles  at  the 
eaves.  To  this  mighty  channel,  between  its  flanking  slopes 
of  rock,  the  glacier  is  at  last  restricted.  Evidences  are 
abundant  that  it  is  continually  receding.  They  are  scored 
high  up  on  the  granite  walls  by  the  a,damantine  ice.  They 
are  attested  by  the  stranded  debris  of  the  lateral  moraines, 
and  recorded  in  the  written  narratives  of  Vancouver,  who 
speaks  of  his  inability  to  enter  this  bay  in  1793,  which  is 
now  navigable  for  twelve  miles  inland.  Once  the  ice  field 
was  level  with  the  distant  mountain  tops  ;  now  it  has  set- 
led,  with  melting  a-nd  thaw,  until  the  peaks  are  far  above 
the  surface.  The  annual  accumulations  are  dissolving  and 
diminishing  faster  than  they  can  be  replenished,  and  cen- 
turies hence  snow  will  no  longer  be  perpetual  in  the  val- 
leys. The  warm  hills  will  throw  off  their  useless  mantle, 
and  nothing  will  remain  of  the  Muir  glacial  except  a  goodly 
stream  and  some  tributary  rills  leaping  with  a  musical  ca- 
dence from  the  spring  melting  among  the  peaks.  The  deep 
and  cavernous  gully  which  now  retains  the  sub-glacial  out- 
flow of  the  ice  field  will  become  an  estuary  of  the  ocean, 
and  the  legend  of  the  Muir  will  be  illustrated  in  the  parti- 
colored tapestry  which  lines  the  verdant  slopes  and  mead- 
ows with  flowers  and  foliage.  Perhaps  some  goodly  village 
will  nestle  at  the  terminal  moraine,  as  it  now  does  in  the 
Matterhorn  among  the  Alps.  Then  all  the  soil  deposited 
in  the  valleys  and  upon  the  hillsides  will  tell  us  of  the  wear 
and  tear  which  even  now  is  grinding  down  the  mountains, 
of  the  denudation,  pulverizing,  levelling,  and  filling  up  of 
which  the  glacier  has  been  the  potent  agent  since  the  world 
began. 

Glaciers  always  carry  on  their  frozen  tide  great  boulders 
and  masses  of  stones  and  rock  wrenched  from  the  mountain 
sides,  just  as  rivers  carry  logs  and  drift.  Whatever  is  not 
deposited  along  its  course  is  carried  out  to  sea  by  the  ice- 
bergs to  strew  the  ocean  bottom,  precisely  as  we  find  them 
on  our  V/estern  plains,  where  they  were  deposited  when 
the  salt  waves  covered  their  unlimited  expanse.  Some 
of  the  lateral  moraines  (as  the  dry  beds  of  spent  glacial 


:r->m«inM>niBi«>iMra»<wasa.>'<a^ 


544 


mOGimSS  OP  AECTIC  DIBCOVEBY. 


u  ^ 


■, '. 


r  • 


outlets  are  termed)  are  still  underlaid  by  an  ice  stratum 
200  feet  thick,  which  became  detached  from  the  main  body 
of  the  glacier  many  decades  since.  It  will  take  a  half  century 
to  melt  it.  Clambering  over  these  is  no  child's  play.  Vi». 
itors  should  be  prepared  with  waterproof  angler's  wading 
trousers  and  alpenstocks  and  hobnail  shoes,  leaving  all-top 
coats  and  superfluous  wraps  where  they  can  be  resumed 
after  the  jaunt  is  finished.  Rubber  shoes  or  boots  are 
liable  to  be  torn  to  shreds.  There  are  spots,  looking  like 
solid  earth,  which  often  prove  to  be  mud  holes  of  uncertain 
depth.  Boulders  are  everywhere — boulders,  ice,  and  slimy 
silt,  or  till,  and  nothing  else.  Bottomless  crevasses  head 
you  off  at  every  turn.  To  land  dry-shod  from  the  boats,  is 
not  easy,  on  account  of  the  surf. 

Altogether,  it  is  astonishing  what  a  minimum  of  distance 
or  altitude  one  can  accomplish  with  a  maximum  of  clamber- 
ing and  perspiration,  even  with  the  chill  wind  blowing 
fresh;  for  every  object  sought  is  at  least  five  times  the 
distance  guessed  at,  and  the  road  is  hard,  indeed,  to  travel. 
Nevertheless,  the  ladies  are  generally  foremost,  and  old 
Swiss  explorers  will  distance  all  the  rest. 

It  is  a  consolation  and  a  comfort,  when  on  the  apex  of 
the  moraine,  with  the  polar  desolation  all  around,  and  every 
resource  of  succor  or  deliverance  clean  cut  off,  to  look  far 
down  upon  the  little  object  which  is  our  only  hope — the 
steamer,  which  seems  an  atom  more  than  ever — and  know 
that  although  the  bay  be  filled  with  floes,  there  is  open 
water  and  safety  and  genial  climate  just  beyond.  By  some 
trivial  accident,  possible  enough,  a  party  of  excursionists 
might  be  left  in  a  situation  almost  as  hopeless  as  the  hap- 
less sufferers  of  the  Lena.  The  perils  are  precisely  the 
same,  modified  only  by  the  relative  accessibility  of  succor, 
and  therefore  too  much  stress  cannot  be  laid  upon  the 
stanchness  of  the  vessels  sent  into  the  ice. 

Quite  recently  the  citizens  of  St.  Paul  instituted  an  ice 
palace  and  illuminated  it  with  electric  lights,  and  all  the 
heavenly  planets  lent  their  aid  to  make  it  resplendent.  At 
night  when  the  full  moon  shone  upon  its  crystal  walls 
and  battlements,  and  their  translucence  was  reflected,  it 
looked  more  like  an  ethereal  creation  than  one  of  sub- 
stance.    It  was  stately  in  its  magnificence  and  overwhelm- 


m    ' 


DB.  HATBS'  BETUBN  TO  BOSTON. 


645 


the 


ing  in  its  supernatural  majesty.  But  what  shall  compare 
with  the  Muir  glacier  when  the  moonlight  is  upon  it,  and 
all  the  phosphorescence  of  the  Pacific  Ocean  beats  in  bil- 
lows of  liquid  flame  against  its  toppling,  crumbling  walls  ? 
when  lunar  rainbows  are  tossed  in  air  against  the  mounting 
columns  of  foam  that  are  shivered  into  spray  by  the  plung- 
ing mountains  of  ice  ?  In  the  everlasting  tumult,  and  whirl, 
and  crash  of  explosions  which  seem  to  split  the  glacier 
itself  from  front  to  mountain  source,  when  nothing  at  all 
takes  definite  shape  upon  the  ghostly  interchange  of  lights 
and  shades,  one  can  imagine  only  the  revels  of  chaos  and 
the  scroll  rolled  back  to  the  genesis  of  creation. 

Dr.  Hayes*  Return  to  Boston. 

The  summer  of  1861  was  passed  by  Dr.  Hayes  in  the 
conduct  of  explorations  and  surveys  in  the  immediate 
vicinity  of  Port  Foulke,  Hartstene  Bay,  which  Capt.  Nares 
characterizes  as  the  best  winter  station  on  the  North 
coast  of  Greenland.  The  Eskimos,  to  the  number  of  80, 
joined  the  party,  living  in  snow-houses  about  the  harbor, 
and  hunting  the  walrus  and  the  seal.  On  the  14th  of 
July,  the  schooner,  freed  •  from  the  ice,  sailed  from  her 
winter  harbor,  and  reached  the  west  coast,  e»  route  for 
home.  Entering  Whale  Sound,  Hayes  delineated  the  shore 
line  of  that  inlet,  which  he  named  Inglefield  Gulf,  out  of 
respect  to  the  navigator  who  first  penetrated  its  waters. 
He  continued  down  the  coast,  from  Whale  Sound,  and 
obtained  dredgings  from  the  various  points  visited,  plants 
from  several  localities,  skins  and  skeletons  of  the  different 
mammals,  skins  of  many  of  the  Arctic  birds,  and  also  skulls 
of  Eskimos.  Over  200  reindeer  were  captured  by  his 
hunters.  Varieties  of  walrus  and  seal  were  found  in 
abundance.  Continuing  southward,  he  surveyed  the 
Eastern  coast  of  North  Baffin  Bay,  from  Cape  Alexander 
to  Granville  Bay,  for  a  distance  of  600  miles,  and  the 
western  side  for  a  distance  of  1300  miles.  He  then 
entered  Melville  Bay,  bored  through  the  *'  pack  "  for  150 
miles,  to  the  southern  water,  and  reached  Upernavik,  Aug. 
14,  and  Disco,  Island,  Sept.  i.  The  voyage  from  Godhaven 
southward  was  boisterous,  and  at  Halifax  the  ship  put 
into  port  for  repairs.    Leaving  Plalifax  Oct.  14,  Dr.  Hayes 


546 


PBOORESS  OP  ARCTIC  DISCOVERY. 


!'. 


arrived  with  his  ship  at  Boston  Oct.  23CI,  1861,  after  an 
absence  of  15  months  and  13  days. — He  visited  Greenland 
a  third  time  in  1869,  in  the  steam  yacht  "  Panther." 
His  narrative  of  this  visit  was  published  under  the  title, 
"  The  Land  of  Desolation."  Again  his  wonder  was  ex- 
cited by  the  mighty  glaciers  and  icebergs,  and  the  sites 
of  the  colonies  of  the  old  Northmen  which  he  visited. 
The  "  Panther  "  sailed  a  thousand  miles  along  the  Green- 
land coast,  penetrated  the  ice  packs  of  Melville  Bay,  and 
then  returned  home.     Dr.  Hayes  died  in  187 1, 


ARCTIC  VOYAGES   AND   DISCOVERIES  OF  DR. 
CHARLES  F.  HALL. 

Dr.  Hall's  First  Expedition  in  the  whale-^hip 
*'  George  Henry,"  owned  by  Williams  &  Haven, 
FROM  New  London  Conn.,  May  29,  i860.  —  His 
Second  Expedition  in  the  whaler  "  Monticello," 
Captain  E.  A.  Chapel  from  New  London,  July  i, 
1864. — Traces  of  Franklin's  Men. — Hall's  Third 
OR  North  Polar  Expdeition,  under  the  auspices 
OF  the  United  States  Government,  in  the  steamer 
"Polaris,"  from  New  London,  July  3,  187 1. 

Shortly  after  Dr.  Hayes  left  Boston  for  his  Arctic 
cruise,  Capt.  Charles  F.  Hall,  accompanied  by  the 
Eskimo  Kud-la-go,  who  had  come  to  the  United  States 
during  the  previous  autumn  in  the  whaler  "  George 
Henry,"  left  New  London,  Conn.,  for  his  first  Arctic  voy- 
age. He  was  given  a  free  passage  to  Northumberland 
Inlet  in  the  whaling  barque  "G'jorge  Henry,"  owned  by 
Williams  &  Haven,  of  New  London.  His  outfit  consisted 
of  a  boat  28  feet  long ;  beam,  7  feet ;  depth,  29  1-2 
inches.  He  also  took  a  sledge,  1200  lbs.  of  pemmican 
and  meat  biscuit,  some  ammunition  and  a  few  nautical  in- 
struments and  thermometers.  The  ship  sailed  from 
New  London  May  29,  i860,  but  did  not  arrive  in  Hol« 
Steinberg,  Southern  Greenland,  until  July  7.  Before  en- 
tering the  harbor,  in  lat.  63*^  N.,  Captain  Hall's  fellow- 
voyager,  Kud-la-go,  died.  After  remaining  here  17  days 
the  barque  sailed  for  Northumberland  Inlet,  where  she 
anchored  at  Ookooleen,  or  Cornelius  Grinnell  Bay,  Aug.  8. 


DR.  CHARLES  y.  IIALL's  EXPEDITION. 


647 


The  ship  encountered  at  sea  heavy  snow-storms  and  ice- 
bergs, one  of  which  appeared  to  Hall's  fancy  as  *' the 
ruins  of  a  lofty  dome,"  then,  "  as  an  elephant  with  two 
large  circular  towers  on  his  back,  and  Corinthian  spirei 
springing  out  boldly  from  the  broken  mountains  on  which 
he  had  placed  his  feet."  Again,  it  was  "like  a  lighthouse 
on  the  top  of  the  piled-up  rocks,  white  as  the  driven 
snow,"  especially  when  the  sun,  after  being  wrapped  in 
clouds  for  nearly  a  week,  burst  forth  in  all  his  splendor, 
"  bathing  with  a  flood  of  fire  this  towering  iceberg  light- 
house. Many  natives  visited  the  barque,  and  among 
them  was  the  wife  of  Kud-la-go,  who  shed  bitter  tears  for 
her  husband's  death,  and  was  deeply  affected  by  a  sight 
of  the  treasures  which  he  had  gathered  in  the  States,  for 
her  and  his  little  child. 

Aug.  16,  the  whalers  sailed  for  a  harbor  on  the  west 
coast  of  Davis  Strait,  to  which  Hall  gave  the  name  of 
Cyrus  W.  Field  Bay.  On  the  opposite  side  of  the  bay,  he 
saw  some  traces  of  the  landings  of  the  expedition  under 
Sir  Martin  Frobisher,  300  years  before.  Here  he  lost  his 
boat  in  a  furious  gale  which  wrecked  the  whaler  "  Res* 
cue,"  and  dashed  the  "  Georgiana  "  on  the  lee  shore,  and 
was  obliged  to  confine  his  explorations  within  compara* 
tively  narrow  limits. 

It  had  been  Hall's  purpose,  when  he  set  out  on  this  ex- 
pedition, to  learn  the  language  of  the  natives,  to  conform 
to  their  habits  of  life  so  far  as  would  be  necessary  to 
harden  him  for  the  rigors  of  Arctic  weather,  to  live 
among  them,  gain  their  friendship,  and  awaken  their  inter- 
est in  the  fate  of  Franklin's  men.  He  thus  hoped  to  ac- 
complish his  purpose  of  rescuing  those  who  might  still  be 
alive.  But  his  westward  journeyings  were  prevented  by 
the  loss  of  his  boat,  and  he  confined  his  attention  to  a 
study  of  the  people,  to  observations  of  natural  phenomena, 
and  to  the  location  of  the  settlements  attempted  in  the 
sixteenth  century  (1556-1559),  by  Frobisher. — During  the 
winter  the  ice  was  solid  around  the  ship,  Jan.  5,  1861,  the 
temperature  was  60''  below  the  freezing  point,  but  not 
uncomfortable.  Between  Jan.  10,  1861,  and  May,  1862, 
Hall  made  several  journeys  on  dog  sledges,  guided  by 
"  Joe,"  his  wife  '*  Hannah,"  and  another  Innuit  woman. 


548 


PBOGEESS   OF   ARCTIC  DISCOVERY. 


li 


lU. 


I 


Ifi 


il 


in 


J 


His  researches  were  interesting,  but  shed  no  further  lighj 
on  the  geography  of  the  Polar  regions.  See  "  Arctic  Re- 
searches," C.  F.  Hall,  Harper  Bros.,  1865.  We  quote 
from  this  volume  the  natives*  mode  of  building  an  "  igloo," 
or  house  of  ice  and  snow  : — *'  They  first  sounded  or  '  pros- 
pected *  the  snow  with  their  seal-spears  to  find  the  most 
suitable  for  that  purpose.  Then,  one  commenced  sawing 
out  snow-blocks,  using  a  hand-saw,  an  implement  now  in 
great  demand  among  the  Innuits  for  that  purpose  ;  the 
blocks  having  been  cut  from  the  space  the  igloo  was  to 
occupy,  the  other  Innuit  proceeded  to  lay  the  foimdation 
tier,  which  consisted  of  seventeen  blocks,  each  three  feet 
long,  18  inches  wide,  and  6  inches  thick.  Then  com- 
menced the  spiraling^  allowing  each  tier  to  fall  in,  dome- 
shaped,  till  the  whole  was  completed,  and  the  key-stone 
of  the  dome  or  arch  dropped  into  its  place,  the  builders 
being  within  during  the  operation.  When  the  igloo  was 
finished,  two  Innuits  were  walled  in  ;  then  a  square  open- 
ing was  cut  at  the  rear  of  the  dwelling,  and  through  this 
Smith  and  I  passed  some  snow-blocks,  which  we  had 
sawed  out.  These  Sharkey  and  Koojesse  chipped  or 
minced  with  their  snow-knives,  while  Tu-nuk-der-lien  and 
Jennie  trod  the  fragments  into  a  hard  bed  of  snow,  form- 
ing the  couch  or  the  dais  of  the  igloo.  This  done,  the 
women  quickly  erected  on  the  right  and  left  the  fire- 
stands,  and  soon  had  fires  blazing,  and  snow  melting  with 
which  to  slake  our  thirst.  Then  the  usual  shrubs,  kept 
for  that  purpose,  were  evenly  spread  on  the  snow  of  the 
bed-place  over  which  was  laid  the  canvas  of  my  tent ;  and 
over  all  were  spread  tuktoo  furs  forming  the  bed.  When 
the  work  had  been  thus  far  advanced,  the  main  door  was 
cut  out  of  the  crystal  white  wall,  and  the  walrus  meat  and 
others  were  passed  in.  Then  both  openings  were  sealed  up, 
and  all  within  were  made  happy  in  the  enjoyment  of  com« 
forts  that  would  hardly  be  dreamed  of  by  those  at  home." 
The  Innuits  are  such  tremendous  gormandizers,  that 
Hall  exclaims  :  "  What  monstrous  stomachs  these  Eski' 
mos  have  !  •'  The  quantity  (of  whale  meat)  taken  on  one 
day  seemed  enough  for  many.  Before  this  whale  had 
been  brought  alongside  the  "  George  Henry,"  they  had 
eaten  twenty  square  fe<»t  i»f  tike  t%iw  skin  I " 


DR.  hall's  second  EXfEDlTION. 


549 


•lighl 
ic  Re- 
quote 
gloo/' 
'  pros- 
:  most 
iawing 
low  in 
e;  the 
was  to 
idation 
je  feet 
I  com- 
dome- 
y-stone 
uilders 
oo  was 
;  open- 
gh  this 
Ne  had 
ped  of 
en  and 
',  form- 
ne,  the 
e  fire- 
g  with 
s,  kept 
of  the 
|t;  and 
When 
ir  was 
at  and 
lied  up, 
If  com« 
lome.'* 
•s,  that 
Eski- 
m  one 
le  had 
;y  had 


August  9,  the  whaling  season  having  ended,  the 
"George  Henry  "  sailed  for  New  London,  Conn.,  reaching 
that  city  Sept.  13,  1862.  "Joe  "  and  his  wife  "Hannah," 
with  their  child  and  their  seal-dog,  accompanied  Hall  to 
the  United  States,  expecting  to  return  with  him  in  a  future 
expedition  to  King  William's  Land.  Hall  had  been  ab- 
sent two  years  and  three  and  a  half  months.  He  at  once 
planned  a  second  expedition,  in  the  firm  belief  that  there 
were  Innuits  still  living  "  who  knew  all  about  the  mys- 
terious termination  of  the  Franklin  Expedition." 

Hall's  Second  Arctic  Expedition. — July  i,  1864, 
Hall,  accompanied  by  "Joe"  and  "  Hannah,"  sailed  for 
the  Arctic  seas  in  the  whaler  "  Monticello,"  accepting 
again  a  free  passage  from  the  firm  of  Haven  &  Chapell,  of 
New  London,  Conn.  Entering  Hudson  Strait  July  28,  the 
ship  made  for  "  Resolution  Island."  She  encountered 
much  floating  ice,  hummocks  and  packs,  through  which 
she  forced  a  way.  Walruses  basked  on  the  ice  or  swam 
in  the  sea,  and  on  Aug.  3,  a  fat  Polar  bear,  8  feet,  5  1-2 
inches  long,  and  about  1,100  lbs.  in  weight,  was  shot  by 
Ebierbing  ("Joe")  with  his  rifle,  at  50  yards  distance. 
The  same  day,  this  Eskimo  shot  and  killed,  after  twelve 
shots,  another  bear.  The  ship  anchored,  Aug.  20,  at 
"  Depot  Island,"  in  lat.  63°  47'  N.  Ion.  89°  51"  W.  Hire 
Hall  engaged  another  assistant,  Mr.  Rudolph,  a  whaler; 
on  the  29th  he  sailed  in  the  *  Monticello's  '  tender,  "  Helen 
F,"  for  Wager  River,  with  his  three  companions,  en 
route  to  Repulse  Bay  and  King  William  Land,  where  he 
proposed  to  spend  several  years  in  search  of  traces  of 
Franklin's  crevy.  Reaching  a  small  harbor,  he  hauled  his 
little  boat  "  Sylvia  "  ashore,  and  encamped  in  lat.  64**  35' 
N.,  Ion.  87**  33'  W.  The  party  in  their  little  craft  now 
coasted  a  shallow  stream  called  "  Welcome,"  for  a  few 
miles,  and  then  met  Oiiela  and  other  natives  who  had 
stories  to  tell  about  Franklin's  lost  men.  On  the  assur- 
ance of  the  natives  that  he  could  not  reach  Repulse  Bay 
that  season.  Hall  decided  to  pass  the  winter  at  his  present 
tenting  place,  Noo-wook.  Sept.  18  (1864)  Hall's  Journal 
contains  this  entry  :  "  It  has  been  moving  day  with  us, 
and  an  interesting  picture  might  have  been  seen — the 


■wgs 


«50 


PBOaBESS  OP   ARCTIC  MSCOVEBY, 


fo',r 


i^.?f 


mm 
■1  i' 


HH  .■    i: 


Innuits  and  the  two  "Kod-lu-nas"  (white  men),  with  packs 
on  our  backs,  trampinj;  along  towards  our  destined  new 
home.  Old  Mother  Ook-bar-loo  had  for  her  pack  a  mon- 
strous roll  of  reindeer-skins,  which  was  topped  with  ket- 
tles and  pans  and  various  little  instruments  used  by 
Innuits  in  their  domestic  affairs,  while  in  her  hand 
Che  carried  spears  and  poles  and  olher  things  that 
need  not  be  mentioned  here.  Ar-too-a  had  for  his 
pack  his  tent  and  pole,  his  gun  and  et  ceteras  in  his 
hand.  His  wife  had  a  huge  roll  of  reindeer-skins  and 
other  things,  much  of  the  character  of  Ook-bar-loo's. 
The  dogs  had  saddle-bags,  and  topping  them  were  panni- 
kins and  such  varied  things  as  are  always  to  be  found  in 
Innuit  use.  Ebierbing  had  for  his  pack  our  tent  and 
some  five  or  six  tent-poles,  while  in  his  hand  he  carried 
his  gun.  Charley  Rudolph  had  a  large  roll  of  reindeer- 
skins,  carrying  also  numerous  tent-poles.  Too-koo-litoo 
had  deer-skins,  and  in  her  hnnds  various  things.  I  car* 
ried  on  my  shoulder  two  rilK  and  one  gun.  each  in  cov- 
ers ;  under  one  arm  my  compass  tripod,  and  in  one  hand 
my  little  basket,  which  held  my  pet  Ward  chronometer, 
and  in  the  other  my  trunk  of  instruments." 

Hall  built  an  /^''/oo,  and  prepared  to  pass  the  winter. 
"  I  exchanged,"  he  says,  "  tent  for  snow-house,  and  have 
been  all  the  while  as  comfortable  as  I  ever  have  been  in 
my  life.  You  would  be  quite  interested  in  taking  a  walk 
through  my  winter-quarters  ;  one  main  i'g/oo  for  myself  and 
Eskimo  friends,  and  three  others,  all  joined  to  the  main, 
for  store-houses.  A  low,  crooked,  passage-way  of  50  feet 
in  length  leads  into  our  dwelling.  We  fully  conformed, 
After  a  little,  to  the  habits  of  the  natives,  though  nause- 
ated, at  times,  by  their  uncleanliness.  The  Innuits 
amused  themselves  with  playing  dominoes,  checkers,  the 
cup  and  ball,  with  singing  and  playing  on  their  key-low- 
tik,  which  is  made  of  a  piece  of  deer-skin  stretched  over  a 
hoop  of  wood  or  whalebone.  Harpooning  the  walrus  was 
a  frequent  diversion.  One  was  killed  which  weighed 
2.200  lbs.  These  animals  are  very  savage  and  tenacious 
of  life.  Hall  says  :  "  What  a  horrible  looking  creature  a 
walrus  is,  especially  in  the  face  I  It  looks  wicked,  detest- 
ably bad.  *  *  ♦   A  hard  death  did  this  one  die.     He 


THE  WALBUS — AURORAS. 


661 


:he 
low- 

r  a 
was 
hed 

lOUS 

e  a 

lest* 

He 


fought  desperately,  but  steel  and  sinewy  arms,  under  the 
control  of  cool,  courageous  hearts,  finally  conquered.  As 
often  as  he  came  up  to  blow  he  was  met  by  the  lance  of 
the  harpooner,  who  thrust  it  quick  and  deep  into  the  heart 
and  churned  away  until  the  walrus  withdrew  by  diving 
under  the  ice  and  ilippcring  away  to  the  length  of  the 
line."  The  walrus  feeds  largely  on  clams,  and  great 
quantities  of  these  are  often  found  whole,  but  without  the 
shells,  in  its  paunch. 

The  party  suffered  much  during  the  winter  for  lack  of 
provisions,  and  of  seal-blubber  for  light  and  heat,  as  their 
hunts  for  this  useful  polar  animal  were  not  often  success- 
ful until  April.  It  was  not  until  the  beginning  of  May, 
1865,  that  they  were  able  to  reach  the  Wager  River,  lat. 
65"  19',  nine  months  after  their  supposed  landing  on  that 
stream.  Thermometer  42**  below  freezing  point.  In  June 
the  warm  season  came  on  rapidly,  and  the  tupiks  (skin 
tents)  were  set  up  in  place  of  snow-huts  for  shelter.  Dur- 
ing the  summer  Hall's  party  harpooned  a  large  whale. 
They  feasted  greedily  on  the  flesh,  and  1,500  lbs.  of  bone 
were  deposited  securely  by  Hall  to  await  the  return  of  the 
whalers  in  the  following  fall,  and  w  be  sold  for  the  main- 
tenance  of  his  expedition.  Sept.  4th,  1865,  Hall  en- 
camped for  the  winter  on  the  banks  of  North  Pole  River, 
near  the  Fort  Hope  of  Dr.  Rae.  Deer  were  numerous, 
and  nearly  150  were  killed  and  cached  for  his  winter's  sup- 
ply and  his  long  sledge  journey  the  next  season.  After 
Jan.  27,  1866,  none  appeared  until  the  end  of  March, 
"  when  the  does  that  were  with  young  began  their  migra- 
tion." 

Speaking  of  the  auroras  seen  in  November,  February 
and  March,  Hall  asks  :  "  Why  is  it  that  the  aurora  is  al- 
most always  seen  in  the  southern  heavens?  Why  do  we 
not  see  the  same  north  of  us  .^  *  *  *  The  aurora  is  gen- 
erally not  far  distant — ofttimes  within  a  few  hundred  feet 
• — and  continues  within  a  stone's-throw  of  one's  head. 
*  *  *  The  most  distant  displays  do  not  exceed  ten  or 
fifteen  miles."  If  Hall  had  been  in  the  parallel  of  50"  to 
62''  he  would  have  seen  the  borealis  as  often  to  the  north 
as  to  the  south.  But  further  north  auroras  are  seldom 
seen  except  in  the  south.    He  describes  one  that  he  saw 


652 


PROGRESS   OP  ARCTIC  DISCOVERY, 


r 

.1  ,j 


B'  '• 


& 


m 


I 


Feb.  6 :  "  The  rays  were  all  vertical  and  dancing  right 
merrily.  The  whole  belt  was  remarkably  low  down,  that 
is,  apparently  not  more  than  fifty  or  seventy-five  feei  from 
the  earth,  and  along  the  base  of  it,  from  end  to  end,  was  a 
continuous  stream  of  prismatic  fires,  which,  with  the 
golden  rays  of  light  jetting  upward  and  racing  backward 
and  forward — some  dancing  merrily  one  way,  while  others 
did  the  same  from  the  opposite  direction — made  one  of 
the  most  gorgeous,  soul-inspiring  displays  I  ever  wit- 
nessed." March  lo,  the  display  across  the  southern  hor- 
izon was  from  east-southeast  to  west- southwest.  "The 
eastern  half  was  in  the  form  of  an  arch,  with  vertical  rays, 
while  the  western  half  was  convolved  in  such  vast  glowing 
circles  that  nearly  a  quarter  of  the  heavens  seemed  on 
fire.  The  eastern  half  consisted  of  bosses  or  birch  broom- 
heads,  springing  into  life  and  dancing  to  and  fro  along  the 
vertex  of  the  highest  rays  forming  the  arch.  To  each 
broom-head  was  a  complete  nucleus,  well-defined,  about 
which  the  rays,  inclined  about  45  deg.  to  the  east,  played 
most  fantastically.  One  was  quite  alone  in  its  glory,  for 
not  only  had  it  the  embellishments  of  its  sister  broom- 
heads,  but  golden  hair  radiated  from  its  head  in  all  direc- 
tions." 

March  30,  1866,  with  the  temperature  at  50®  below 
freezing,  Hall  again  advanced  westward  on  his  sledge 
towards  King  William  Land.  His  route  was  up  the  North 
Pole  River,  north  50*^  east.  April  13  his  friend  and 
helper,  Too-koo-litoo  (Hannah)  was  distracted  by  the 
death  of  her  baby.  The  party  travelled  not  over  two  or 
three  miles  a  day,  reaching  Cape  Weynton,  on  the  south 
side  of  Colville  Bay,  about  April  28th.  The  natives 
showed  him  relics  of  Franklin,  recounted  the  loss  of  one 
of  his  ships  in  the  ice,  and  the  sufferings  and  starvation  of 
his  men.  Hall  obtained  a  number  of  relics,  a  fork  and 
spoons,  having  on  them  the  fish-head  crest  of  Franklin. 
By  Sept.,  several  whalers  arrived,  and  he  placed  on  board 
the  "Ansel  Gibbs  "  1,500  lbs.  of  whalebone,  to  be  sold  on 
the  return  of  the  ship  to  the  United  States.  Feb.  7,  '67,  he 
set  out  on  a  sledge  journey  with  only  three  natives,  to  Ig- 
loo-hk,  to  buy  dogs  for  his  westward  journey.  He  se- 
cured the  dogs,  but  could  not  find  men  before  March  23, 


TRACES  OF  FAANKXJN^S  M£N. 


553 


ives 

me 

of 

md 

[lin. 

iard 

on 

he 

Ig- 
se- 

23* 


1 868.  But  instead  of  goin^  to  King  William  Land,  he 
was  diverted  by  the  natives  in  search  of  white  men  seen 
by  them  three  years  before  on  the  southern  shores  of  the 
Straits  of  Fury  and  Hecla.  His  search  proved  illusory, 
and  the  principal  result  of  this  journey  was  a  survey  of  the 
northwest  coast  of  Melville  Peninsula,  at  and  below  the 
western  outlets  of  Fury  and  Hecla  Strait,  and  some  un- 
important discoveries  of  new  inlets,  bays  and  lakes.  Dur- 
ing the  winter  of  i868,  provisions  were  plenty,  especially 
walrus,  seal  and  deer.  By  March  21,  he  and  Jc*  had 
dried  nearly  200  pounds  of  venison,  and  fitted  them- 
selves with  new  furs.  On  the  23d,  accompani'ed  by  five 
native  men,  and  five  females,  Hall  again  started  for  King 
William  Land.  April  18,  they  arrived  at  Simpson's  Lake 
in  lat.  68°  30'  22"  N.,  Ion.  91**  31'  W.  May  30,  they  came 
across  natives,  who  showed  them  numerous  relics  of 
Franklin — one,  a  large  silver  spoon  with  an  eel's  head 
crest.  Two  skeletons  were  found.  These  were  thought 
by  the  natives  to  be  remains  of  Crczier's  party  of  105  men 
from  the  abandoned  ships  whom  they  saw  journeying 
down  the  west  coast  near  Cape  Herschel,  with  two  sleds, 
towards  Repulse  Bay,  late  in  July,  1848.  The  loss  of  the 
party  was  ascribed  to  lacV:  of  condensed  7rovisions  for 
their  land  journey,  and  of  native  guides. 

Hall  now  turned  his  face  towards  Repulse  Bay.  The 
party  killed  seventy-nine  musk-ox  on  their  way  back. 
Thus  after  sledge  journeyings  numbering  more  than  4,000 
miles,  and  five  years*  stay  in  the  frozen  seas,  Hall  made 
his  preparations  to  return  home.  While  waiting  for  a 
whaler  he  got  ready  nearly  800  pounds  of  bone  from  the 
whale  cached  the  previous  year.  On  the  sale  of  this  bone 
and  his  musk-o.x  skins  he  hoped  to  retrieve  part  of  the 
cost  of  the  long  expedition.  At  last  the  "  Ansell  Gibbs  " 
of  New  Bedford,  Mass.,  appeared,  and  took  Hall,  Joe, 
Hannah,  and  her  adopted  child,  on  board.  Aug.  29th  the 
whaler  left  the  Welcome,  passed  through  Hudson's  Bay 
and  Straits,  and  arrived  at  New  Bedford  Sept.  26,  1869. 
Here  Hall  made  the  last  entry  in  his  journal  of  this  voy- 
age :  "  How  thankful  to  high  Hejiven  ought  my  poor 
heart  to  be  for  the  blessed  privilege  of  again  placing  my 
foot  upon  the  land  of  my  country  I  " 


554 


PROGliESS    OF    AUCTIC;    DISt^OVliRY. 


n 

t  f 

I 

i 

r 


17  ■ 


Hall's  Third  KxpKnnioN. — Tlirougli  tlio  infliience  of 
Grant,  an  appropria'.ion  of  $50,000  was  made  by  Congress, 
r.il  approved  by  the  President,  July  12,  1870,  to  fit  out  an 
expedition  to  the  North  Pole  under  the  command  of  Hall. 
A  government  steamer,  the  "  Periwinkle,"  but  named  by 
Hall  the  "  Polaris,"  was  assigned  to  this  service  by  the 
Secretary  of  the  Navy,  with  a  crew  of  fourteen  persons 
and  the  following  officers  and  scientific  corps ;  C.  F. 
Hall,  commander;  S.  O.  Bui)iN(;roN,  sailing  master; 
George  E.  Tyson,  assistant  navigator ;  H.  C.  Chester, 
mate;  Wm.  Morton,  2nd  mate;  Emil  Schumann,  chief 
engineer;  A.  A.  Odell,  assistant  engineer;  N.  J.  Coffin, 
carpenter  ;  Emil  Bessels,  surgeon,  chief  of  scientific  staff; 
R,  W.  D.  Bryan,  astronomer ;  Frederick  Meyer,  mete- 
orologist. Hannah  and  Joe  were  again  Hall's  companions. 

The  "  Polaris  "  was  launch^  d  at  the  Washington  navy 
yard  July  25,  187 1,  fully  equipped  at  the  Brooklyn  navy 
yard,  and  sailed  for  the  Polar  regions  f'-om  New  London, 
July  3.  She  was  provisioned  for  two  and  a  half  years,  and 
additional  suppliji:  were  to  be  sen'  to  Holsteinborg,  or  to 
Disco,  by  a  transport.  The  "  Polaris  "  anchored  in  the 
harbor  of  Fiskernaes,  Greenland,  July  27,  at  Holsteinborg 
July  31,  and  at  Godhavn  Aug.  4.  Here  she  was  joined 
by  the  transport  "  Congress,"  Capt.  H.  H.  Davenport, 
U.  S.  N.,  with  additional  supplies  which  were  deposited  in 
the  government  storehouse  at  Godhavn.  Aug.  19th,  the 
Polaris  anchored  at  Upernavik,  225  miles  from  Godhavn, 
which  she  had  made  in  33  i-:>  hours.  Here  Hans  Hen-, 
drik  was  hired  as  dog-driver,  etc.,  at  fifty  Danish  dollars 
per  month.  Being  now  abundantly  supplied  with  dogs 
and  other  essentials  for  Arctic  travel,  Hall  pushed  north- 
ward, and  sighted  Cape  York  Aug.  25 'h,  after  a  rapid  run. 
On  the  27th  her  course  was  arrested  by  solid  packs  of  ice, 
but  she  continued  to  bore  a  way  through  these  ice  barriers 
until,  on  the  30th,  she  could  go  no  farther.  The  ice  ex- 
tended from  shore  to  shore,  a  solid  mass,  Lat.  82  ^  26' 
N.  The  "  Polaris  "  drifted  back  with  the  current,  and 
was  secured  to  a  large  berg.  Casting  loose  from  the  berg, 
and  failing  to  gain  a  harbor  on  the  eastern  shore  of  Ken- 
nedy Channel,  the  "  Polaris  "  improved  every  opening  in 
the  ice,  and  made  12  miles  west  and  north  in  4  3-4  hours. 


TIIANK   GOD    HARBOR. 


555 


The  limit  of  her  advance  was  S?.  ^  i6'  N.  Sept.  14,  she 
drifted  to  the  soulli  48  miles  in  a  direct  line,  all  the  while 
dangerously  encompassed  with  ice  driven  by  the  wind. 
But  on  the  4th  a  drivinj^  northeast  wind  opened  a  passage 
through  which  the  ship  forced  her  way  to  the  eastern 
shore  and  anchored  in  ten  fathoms  of  water.  A  huge  ice- 
berg, 450  feet  long,  300  feet,  broad,  181  feet  deep,  Co  feet 
being  above  the  water,  was  named  by  Hall  Providence 
Berg,  as  it  afforded  permanent  secvirity  to  the  vessel. 
Long.  6i  °  44'  W.  The  coast  was  covered  with  moun- 
tains running  south  ;,!;d  east,  900  to  1,400  feet  high. — Oct. 
12,  Hall,  accompar..ieci  by  Mate  Chester,  Joe  and  Hans, 
started  on  a  sledge  trip,  the  object  being  to  select  the 
best  route  for  a  spring  excursiofi  to  the  Pole.  Nothing  was 
discoveretl  to  encourage  his  purpose.  No  cattle  were 
found,  and  except  a  few  lichens,  no  signs  of  vegetation, 
until  the  i8lh,  on  the  top  of  a  high  cape,  different  snecies 
of  flowering  plants  and  grasses  were  seen  all  the  way  up 
the  mountain.  Oct.  21  he  began  to  retrace  his  steps,  and 
on  the  24th  sighted  the  masts  of  the  "Polaris."  On  the 
20th  he  deposited  in  a  cairn  his  last  dispatch  to  the  Sec- 
retary of  the  Navy,  which  we  copy  in  full : — 


\ 


Sixth  Snow-IIouse  Encampment,  Cape  Brevoort, 

Oct.  21,  1871 

North-side  Entrance  to  Newman's  Bay. 


kun. 
ice, 

[iers 
ex- 
26' 

land 

.en- 
in 
lurs. 


To  the  Honorable  Secretary  of  the  U.  S.  Navy,  George  M.  Robe- 
son : — 

**  Myself  and  party,  consisting  of  Mr.  Chester,  first-mate  ;  my 
Fskiii/o,  Joe,  and  Greenland  Eskimo,  Hans,  left  the  ship  in  winter 
quarters,  Tliank  God  Harbor,  hit.  8i"38'  North,  Ion,  6l'^44'  West  a^" 
meridian  of  October  loth,  on  a  journey  by  two  sledges,  drawn  b 
fourteen  dogs,  to  discover,  if  possible,  a  feasible  route  inland  for  m^ 
sledge  journ  v  next  sprin;^  to  reach  the  North  Pole,  purposing  to 
adopt  such  a  route,  if  found  better  than  a  route  over  the  old  floes 
and  hummocks  of  the  strait  which  1  have  denominated  Robeson's 
Strait,  after  the  honorable  Secretary  of  the  United  States  Navy. 

"  VVe  arrived  ca  the  evening  of  Octob>;r  17,  having  discovered  a 
lake  and  a  river  on  our  way;  the  latter,  our  route,  a  most  serpentine 
one,  which  led  us  on  to  this  bay  fifteen  minutes  (miles)  distant  from 
here  soutn'vard  and  eastward. 

**  From  the  top  of  an  iceberg,  near  the  mouth  of  said  river,  we 
could  see  that  this  bay,  which  1  have  named  after  Rev.  Dr.  Newraarii 


I 


•Mta 


^^/ 


<        ) 


556 


t>&00ItI!:S8  OF  ARCTIC  DISCOVERY. 


iJ-1'.. 


!l^ 


extended  to  the  highland  eastward  and  southward  of  that  position 
about  fifteen  miles,  making  the  extent  of  Newman's  Bay,  from  its 
headland  or  cape,  fuil  thirty  miles. 

"The  South  Cape  is  high,  bold,  and  a  noble  headland.  I  have 
named  it  Sumner  lleadland,  after  Hon.  Charles  Sumner,  the  orator 
and  U.  S.  Senator ;  and  the  North  Cape,  Ikevoort  Cape,  after  I. 
Carson  Brevoort,  a  strong  friend  to  Arctic  discoveries. 

**  On  arriving  here  we  found  the  mouth  of  Newman's  Bay  open 
water,  having  numerous  seals  in  it,  this  open  water  making  close 
both  to  Summer  Headland  and^'Cape  Brevoort,  and  the  ice  of  Robe- 
son's Strait  on  the  move,  thus  debarring  all  possible  chance  of  extend- 
ing our  journey  on  the  ice  up  the  strait. 

'*The  mountainous  land  (none  other  about  here)  will  not  admit 
of  our  journeying  farther  north  ;  and  as  the  time  of  our  expected 
absence  was  understood  to  be  for  two  weeks,  we  commence  our 
return  to-morrow  morning.  To-day  we  are  storm-bound  to  this  our 
sixth  encampment. 

"  From  Cape  Brevoort  we  can  see  land  extending  on  the  west  side 
of  the  strait  to  the  north  22'^  West,  and  distance  about  seventy  miles, 
thus  making  land  we  discover  as  far  as  lat.  83^5'  North. 

•*  There  is  appearance  of  land  farther  north,  and  extending  more 
easterly  than  what  I  have  just  noted,  but  a  peculiar  dark  nimbus 
cloud  hangs  over  what  seems  may  be  land,  and  prevents  my  making 
a  full  determination. 

"August  30,  the  '  Polaris'  made  her  greatest  northing,  lat.  82"  29' 
North  ;  but  after  several  attempts  to  get  her  farther  ncrth,  she  became 
beset,  when  we  were  drifted  down  to  about  lat.  81  "  30'  When  an 
opening  occurred,  we  steamed  out  of  the  pack  and  made  harbor  Sep- 
tember 3,  where  the  '  Polaris '  is  (corner  of  manuscript  here  burned 
off).  Up  to  the  time  I  and  my  party  left  the  ship  all  have  been  well, 
and  continue  with  high  hopes  of  accomplishing  our  great  mission. 

"  We  find  this  a  much  warmer  country  than  we  expected.  Front 
Cape  Alexander,  the  mountains  on  either  side  of  the  Kennedy  Chan- 
nel and  Robeson's  Strait,  we  found  entirely  bare  of  snow  and  ice,  with 
the  exception  of  a  glacier  that  we  saw  covering,  about  lat.  80°  30',  east 
side  the  Strait,  and  extending  in  an  east-northeast  direction  as  far  as 
can  be  seen  from  the  mountains  by  Polaris  Hay. 

**  We  have  found  that  the  country  abounds  with  life;  seal»,  game, 
geese,  ducks,  musk-cattle,  rabbits,  wolves,  foxes,  bears,  partridges, 
lemmings,  etc.  Our  sealers  have  shot  two  sens  in  the  open  water 
while  at  this  encampment.  Onr  long  Arctic  night  commenced  October 
13,  having  seen  or'.y  the  upper  limb  of  the  sun  above  the  glacier  at 
Meridian  October  12. 

"  This  dispatch  to  the  Secretary  of  the  Navy  I  finished  this  moment 
8.23.  P.  M,,  having  written  it  in  ink  in  our  snow  hut,  the  thermometer 
outside — 7**.     Yesterday,  all  day  the  thermometer — 20  **  to  23*^. 

*'  Copy  of  dispatch  placed  in  pillar  Brevoort  Cape,  October  21,  1871." 

[This  dispatch  was  taken  from  the  cairn  May  15,  1875,  ^Y  Capt. 
Coffinger  of  the  English  Arctic  Expedition,  and  sent  to  U.  S.  Govern- 
nent  by  the  British  Admiralty.] 


CAPTAIN  hall's  DEATH — GBAVB, 


667 


Captain  Hall's  Death. 

The  work  of  the  courageous  voyager  was  finished,  and 
the  objects  of  the  expedition  frustrated  by  his  sudden 
death.  On  returning  to  the  "  Polaris,"  Oct.  24,  after 
drinking  a  cup  of  coffee,  he  was  seized  with  violent  vomit- 
ing. His  left  side  was  paralyzed  ;  he  suffered  terrible 
pain,  and  was  delirious  on  the  28th  and  two  following 
days.  Nov.  6th  he  had  a  still  more  severe  attack,  from 
which  he  sank  into  a  comatose  state,  and  expired  at  3.25 
A.  M.  Oct.  8th.  A  grave  was  dug  on  shore  by  the  light 
of  lanterns,  after  two  days'  hard  work,  to  the  depth  of  26 
inches,  and  at  11  A.  M.  Nov.  loth,  the  body  was  buried, 
the  funeral  service  being  read  by  Mr.  Bryan.  .Amid  the 
sobs  of  Hannah,  and  the  solemn  silence  of  the  Arctic 
night,  the  indefatigable  navigator  was  left  to  his  long  re- 
pose in  the  icy  zones  which  he  had  loved  too  well.  On 
his  cenotaph  might  be  inscribed  not  inappropriately  the 
lines  which  Tennyson  wrote  for  the  monument  to  Sir  John 
Franklin,  placed  by  Lady  Franklin  in  Westminster  Abbey 
in  187s  :— 

"  Not  htre  ;  the  White  North  has  thy  bones,  and  thou^ 
Heroic  sailor  soul, 
Art  passinj?  on  thy  happier  voyage  now 
Toward  no  Earthly  Pole." 

In  July,  1872,  Capt.  Hall's  grave  was  visited  oy  his  fel- 
low-voyagers, who  transported  soil  to  it,  surrounded  it  with 
stones,  set  out  a  few  plants,  among  which  the  assistant  navi- 
gator, George  E.  Tyson,  planted  a  willow,  and  erected  a 
head-board,  on  which  they  placed  this  inscription  :— 

To  the  Memory  of 

C.  F.  Hall, 

Late  Commander  of  the  North   Polar  Expedition,  Died 

Nov.  8,  187 1. — Aged  50  years. 

**!  am  the  Resurrection  and  the  Life  ;  he  that  believeth 

in  me,  though  he  were  dead,  yet  shall  he  live." 

The  latter  words  were  added  by  the  mate  of  the  "  Po- 
laris," Mr.  H.  C.  Chester.     The  English  Expedition  of 


'. 


11  I 


558 


PROGRESS    OF   ARCTIC  DISCOVERY 


Iff  ,  "3i 


Capt.  Stephenson  visited  Capt.  Hall's  grave  May  13,  1876, 
and  erected  at  its  foot  a  brass  tablet  which  haii  been  pre- 
pared in  England.     It  bears  this  inscription  ; 

Sacred  to  the  Memory  of 

Captain  C.  F.  Hall, 

Of  the  U.  S.  S.  "Polaris,* 

**  Who  sacrificed  his  life  in  the  advancement  of  science, 
Nov.  8.  187 1,  This  tablet  has  been  erected  by  the 
British  Polar  Expedition  of  1875,  ^^^j 
following  in  his  footsteps,  have 
profited  by  his  expe- 
rience." 

The  grave  was  found  undisturbed,  and  the  willow 
planted  by  Mr.  George  E.  Tyson,  of  the  "  Polaris,"  in  1872, 
was  still  alive. 


];'.' 


THE  FATE  OF  THE  POLARIS  AND  HER  CREW. 


k 


After  Capt.  Hall's  death  the  command  of  the  expedition 
devolved  on  Capt.  Budington.  He  still  cherished  the 
hope  of  hoisting  the  stars  and  stripes  "  on  the  most 
northern  f  .irt  of  the  earth,"  but,  without  realizing  this 
ambitious  purpose,  he  was  doomed,  to  encounter  and  to 
escape  only  with  his  life,  a  succession  of  perils  which  have 
made  the  "  Polaris,"  and  the  vicissitudes  of  her  crew,  a 
warning  to  all  subsequent  Arctic  ex  lorcrs.  The  wiijier 
was  exceptionally  severe.  Nov.  18,  a  northeast  gale  blew 
at  the  rate  of  about  50  miles  an  hour,  and  it  snowed  heav- 
ily. On  the  23d  a  gale  from  the  southwest  broke  Provi- 
dence Berg,  to  which  the  ship  was  fastened,  into  two 
parts ;  the  berg  moved  towards  the  shore,  where  it 
grounded,  with  the  Polaris  in  front ;  her  bow  was  four  feet 
higher  than  the  stern  when  the  tide  fell,  but  she  righted 
when  the  tide  rose.  Jan.  16,  1872.  the  sun  at  8  A.  M., 
gave  tokens  of  his  coming.  At  first  faint,  his  light  in- 
creased by  Feb.  4th  so  that  any  kind  of  print  was  readable 
in  the  twilight)  and  on  Feb.  aStlJi,  "t  1^.15,  the  whole  orb 


THE   rOLARIS   AT   mOVIDENCE   BERG. 


559 


appeared  after  132  days'  absence.  The  lowest  tempera- 
ture in  December  was  t,^  °  below  freezing,  Jan.  9th  it  was 
48  o  below  zero,  February  7  °  to  43  °  5'.  The  Scientific 
Corps,  besides  other  experiments,  noted  with  great  pre- 
cision the  vibrations  of  a  large  brass  pendulum,  set  going 
in  their  observatory. 

Various  visits  of  observation  had  been  made  to  promi- 
nent points  near  by,  during  the  winter.  In  April,  a  sledge 
journey  to  Cape  Lupton  revealed  "  a  vast  volume  of  im- 
penetrable pack  with  not  a  sjieck  of  open  water,"  which 
was  the  case  until  the  last  of  June.  The  sledge  parties 
did  not  penetrate  further  than  the  mouth  of  Newman's 
Bay.  Mate  Chester's  boat,  with  his  box  thermometer 
and  other  instruments,  were  crushed  near  Cape  Lupton 
by  the  moving  pack.  At  the  end  of  June  the  Polaris  was 
sawed  out  of  the  ice,  and  ventured  after  the  boat  parties. 
But  she  found  an  impenetrable  pack  near  Cape  Sumnei 
and  Cape  Lieber,  and  returned  to  the  Berg.  In  the  first 
week  of  July,  the  crews  abandoned  their  boats  which  wera 
fast  in  the  ice  at  Newman's  Bay,  and  walked  back  to  th& 
ship.  Capt.  Budington  says  in  his  journal  :  "  I  have  been 
living  in  hopes  that  we  should  get  further  north,  but  the 
season  is  so  unfavorable,  the  ice  so  compact  and  close, 
that  *  *  *  it  would  not  be  at  all  advisable,  without  a 
supply  of  coal,  to  risk  it  with  a  vessel  like  ours.  We  must 
leave  the  harbor,  for  delay  now  will  most  probably  prove 
fatal." 

On  Aug,  II,  the  ice  in  the  straits  was  drifting  South; 
next  day  the  engines  were  started,  the  vessel  was  piloted 
between  heavy  floes,  and  passed  swiftly  through  the  open 
water.  Entering  an  impenetrable  pack,  she  was  tied  to  a 
floe,  and  drifted  slowly  South  to  Si"*  08.'  She  lerked 
badly,  had  coal  enough  to  last  only  four  days,  and  by  Aug. 
27th  the  crew  had  prepared  to  abandon  her.  Stil!  they 
clung  to  her  until  Oct.  15th,  when  at  7.30,  p.rn  the 
♦'  Polaris  "  ran  among  icebergs,  the  floe  to  which  she  v/as 
fastened  broke  in  pieces,  and  the  pack  jammed  her  so  that 
she  was  raised  up  and  thrown  on  her  port  side.  Provi- 
sions and  stores  and  the  records  of  the  expediiion  were 
thrown  out  on  the  floe,  and  nineteen  of  the  crew  had  left 
the  ship  when  there  was  another  change  in  the  ice,  tlie 


i  I 


li^ 


&«,<»-  ■*  ■■ 


500 


PROGEESS   OP  ABCTIC  DISCOVERT. 


All 


11     . 


"  Polaris  *'  broke  from  her  anchors,  and  was  rapidly  car* 
ried  away  from  the  floe.  In  a  few  moments  the  ship  dis« 
appeared  in  the  black  night,  while  her  helpless  crew,  and 
the  still  more  helpless  men  on  the  floe,  were  separated, 
never  to  be  reunited  on  the  arctic  seas. 


Fate  of  the  "  Polaris  "  Party, 

The  following  men  were  carried  away  in  the  ship,  14  in 
all,  viz.,  Capt.  Budington,  H.  C.  Chester  and  Wm, 
Morton,  mates ;  Emil  Bessels,  chief  of  scientific  staff ; 
R.  W.  D.  Bryan,  astronomer ;  Emil  Schumann,  and  A.  A» 
Odell,  engineers ;  N.  J.  Coffin,  carpenter ;  two  firemen, 
and  four  seamen.  The  leak  was  alarming,  but  after  much 
trouble  the  steam  pump  was  started,  and  gained  on  the 
inflowing  water.  On  the  morning  of  the  i6th,  a  clear  day, 
not  one  of  their  comrades  on  the  floe  could  be  seen  from 
the  "  Polaris."  Soon  a  northeast  breeze  broke  up  the 
ice,  and  the  ship  had  a  lane  of  water  to  the  shore,  near 
Littleton  Island.  Here  the  stern  grounded,  and  she  was 
secured  to  large  hummocks,  her  starboard  side  to  the 
beach.  The  men  prepared  an  encampment  on  shore,  and 
began  building  new  boats  in  which  to  escape  to  the  south. 
By  May  27th,  two  were  completed,  25  feet  long,  five  broad, 
and  2  feet  5  inches  deep. 

On  May  29th,  the  "  Polaris  "  went  adrift,  and  was  car- 
ried 200  yards  south,  where  she  grounded,  her  upper  deck 
at  high  tide  two  feet  below  the  surface  of  the  water.  On 
June  3rd,  1872,  the  two  boats'  crews  stood  down  the  coast 
with  a  fair  wind.  On  the  4th  they  landed  at  Hakluyt 
Islands,  on  the  9th  at  Norlluimberland  Island,  and  on  the 
13th  at  Dalrymple  Island.  On  the  23rd,  Mate  Chester 
descried  a  ship  about  10  miles  off.  It  was  the  steamer 
**  Ravenscraig,'*  of  Kirkcaldy,  Scotland,  Capt.  Allen,  who 
promptly  sent  a  rescue  party.  All  walked  back  over  the 
rotten  ice  to  the  ship,  where  they  arrived  at  midnight. 
They  were  overjoyed  with  the  intelligence  brought  by 
their  rescuers  that  the  floe  party  had  been  picked  up 
/loril  30th  by  the  "  Tigress."  Capt.  Allen  transferred  his 
paL,oengers  to  homeward  bound  vessels.  Sept.  19th  eleven 
arrived  at  Dundee  in   the  "Arctic,"  and  at   New  York 


flAW:TY  OF  THE   POLARIS   CREW. 


66t 


Oct.  7th.  The  "  Eric  "  carried  the  other  three  to  Dundee 
Oct.  22nd,  and  they  reached  New  York  in  Nov.  1872. 
By  an  Act  of  Congress  approved  June  23rd,  1874,  com- 
pensation and  acknowledgments  were  authorized  to  be 
made  to  the  owners,  officers  and  sailors  of  all  the  relief 
ships,  and  to  each  of  the  ten  men  who  walked  on  the  ice 
to  rescue  Capt.  Budington's  party.  The  Navy  Depart- 
ment had  sent  out  the  sealing  vessel  "  Tigress,"  Capt. 
Green  and  the  U.  S.  Steamer  "  Juniata,"  Commander 
Braine,  July  14th,  to  rescue  the  officers  and  crew  of 
the  "  Polaris."  The  "  Tigress,"  in  July,  landed  at  the 
spot  occupied  the  preceding  winter  by  the  **  Polaris " 
crew,  and  brought  away  all  the  manuscripts  and  books  not 
torn  into  pieces.  Capt.  Greer  learned  from  the  natives 
that  the  "  Polaris  "  had  broken  from  her  hawsers,  and 
sank.  Both  ships  pursued  their  search  until  they  learned 
of  the  rescue  of  the  Polaris  crew. 


Fortunes  of  the  Ice-Floe  Party. 

Capt.  George  E.  Tyson ;  Mr.  Frederick  Meyer,  meteor- 
ologist ;  the  steward,  the  cook,  six  seamen,  Joe  and  Hans, 
with  their  wives  and  children,  including  a  baby  born  to 
Hans  two  months  before,  and  christened  Charles  Polaris, 
in  all  nineteen  persons,  were  left  on  the  ice-floe.  Some  of 
these  were  carried  off  on  broken  pieces  of  ice,  but  were 
brought  back  by  the  boats  to  the  large  drifting  floe.  On 
this  they  spent  the  winter.  Their  provisions  were  reduced 
by  January  to  the  seals  caught  by  the  Eskimos,  and  a 
little  mouldy  bread.  The  seals  were  eaten  uncooked,  "with 
the  skin  and  hair  on."  On  New  Year's  day  Capt.  Tyson 
dined  on  "frozen  entrails  and  blubber."  In  Feb.  the 
thermometer  stood  16"  to  30°  below  zero.  The  sufferings 
of  the  children  from  cold  and  hunger,  added  to  the  woes  of 
their  elders.  The  Eskimos  are  valuable  friends  to  travel- 
lers in  the  ice  zones,  and  their  dexterity  in  finding,  and 
killing  the  seaU,  .whale,  walrus,  bear,  etc.,  has  saved  their 
starving  white  companions  in  many  perilous  journeys  on 
the  ice,  but  it  is  not  always  pleasant  to  bear  the  company 
of  their  peripatetic  households.  Yet  affection  is  not  frozen 
up  in  their  breasts,  and  unlike  their  civilized  friends,  they 


-.IMMlllllliij,^ 


562 


PROGRESS   OF   ARCTIC   DISCOVERY. 


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prefer  to  encounter  their  icy  enemies  accompanied  by 
their  wives  and  children.  But  this  also  had  its  bright 
side  for  the  helpless  strangers ;  the  P^skimo  women  are 
often  as  brave  and  useful  as  their  husbands. 

On  April  30th,  the  party  abandoned  the  rotten  and 
wasted  floe,  and  embarked  in  their  only  boat,  which  was 
so  heavily  laden  that  100  pounds  of  meat  and  nearly  all 
the  clothing  were  thrown  out.  In  a  few  hours,  however, 
the  boat  was  drawn  on  to  the  floe  again,  though  the  latter 
was  fast  going  to  pieces.  On  the  iQlh  a  sea  washed  over 
the  floe,  carrying  away  the  tent,  skins  and  bed-clothing, 
but  fortunately  none  of  the  party.  The  men  had  to  hold 
on  to  the  boat  all  night  to  save  it.  On  the  22d  Hans 
shot  a  bear,  which  he  saw  coming  towards  him  on  the  ice. 
But  for  this  timely  food,  the  cold,  wet,  unsheltered,  tired 
out  party  must  have  perished. 

At  last  these  wretched  voyagers  were  to  experience  the 
good  providence  which  had,  during  the  previous  year,  led 
them  with  grateful  hearts  to  call  the  enforced  winter 
quarters  of  the  "  Polaris  "  "Thank  God  Harbor,"  and  the 
great  ice-mountain  that  protected  her  "  Providence  Berg." 
On  April  30th  a  steamer  was  seen  close  to  the  floe.  It 
was  the  British  steamship  "  Tigress,"  Capt,  Bartlett,  of 
Conception  Bay,  Newfoundland.  The  latitude  of  this 
fortunate  rescue  was  53*^  35'  N.,  off  Grady  Harbor,  Lab- 
rador. The  whole  party  were  landed  at  St.  Johns,  May 
i2th,  where  the  U.  S.  Steamer  "Frolic,"  Commander  C. 
M.  Schoonmaker,  took  them  on  board,  and  carried  them 
to  Washington  Navy  Yard,  June  5th,  1873.  They  had 
drifted  on  the  floe  190  days  and  1200  miles,  but  "even 
baby  was  saved."  The  Secretary  of  the  Navy,  in  his  re- 
port of  June  16,  1873,  says  :  "  After  their  rescue,  although 
enfeebled  by  scanty  diet  and  long  exposure,  and  mentally 
depressed  by  their  isolated  and  unhappy  situation,  so 
fearfully  prolonged  and  of  such  uncertain  issue,  the 
general  health  of  these  hardy  voyagers  remained  good, 
and  when  their  trials  and  anxieties  were  qnded,  they  soon 
regained  their  usual  strength." 

As  to  the  scientific  results  achieved  by  Hall's  Expedi- 
tions it  is  the  concurrent  testimony  of  American  and  trans- 
atlantic authorities,  that  it  has  contributed  largely  to  our 


CAPT.    HALL   AND   TUT!!   i'Ji^KIMOS. 


503 


geographical  and  ethnological  knowledge  of  the  Polar 
country.  The  Socicte  de  GcograpJiic  of  Paris,  awarded 
Capt.  Ilall  a  gold  medal,  as  the  "  promoter-in-chief  of  the 
Polaris  Expedition,  and  as  otherwise  due  him  for  his  pre- 
vious labors."  And  Capt.  Sir  Gkor(;e  Nares,  in  his 
official  Report  to  Parliament  of  the  English  Ex])edition  of 
1875,  says:  "The  co^st-line  was  observed  to  be  con- 
tinuous for  about  30  miies,  forming  a  ba)  bounded  toward 
the  vilest  of  the  United  States  range  of  mountains,  with 
mounts  Mary  and  Julia,  and  Cape  Joseph  Henry,  agree- 
ing so  well  with  Hall's  description,  that  it  was  impossible 
to  mistake  their  identity.  Their  bearings  also,  although 
differing  upwards  of  30  deg.  from  the  published  chart, 
agreed  precisely  with  his  original  report."  He  further 
says  :  "  Put  for  the  valuable  deposits  of  provisions  es- 
tablished by  the  "  Polaris  **  at  Hall's  Rest,  Lieut.  Beau- 
mont would  have  found  the  greatest  difiiculty  in  obtaining 
supplies." 

The  knowledge  which  Capt.  Hall  obtained  of  the  lan- 
guage, habits,  religion,  pastimes,  feelings  and  social  life  of 
the  natives  during  his  five  winters  in  their  wretched  snow- 
huts  is  the  most  valuable  we  have  in  regard  to  the  Eskimo 
race.  He  says  in  his  Journal:  "Nothing  but  an  expe- 
rience of  years  could  enable  me  to  control  such  untamable 
eagles."  In  all  this  experience,  he  received  unfailing  as- 
sistance from  the  friendship  and  constant  watchfulness 
of  Hannah  and  Joe.  For  these  faithful  friends  he  pur- 
chased a  home  in  Groton,  Conn.,  to  which  they  repaired 
after  their  return  from  his  fatal  voyage  in  the  "  Polaris." 
Hannah  died  there,  of  consumption,  a  disease  which  afflicts 
the  majority  of  her  race,  on  Dec.  31st,  1876,  aged  38.  In 
June,  1878,  Joe  returned  to  the  Arctic  seas  with  Lieut. 
Schwatka,  U.  S.  A.,  and  remained  there.  The  stranger 
who  visits  the  cemetery  at  Groton,  will  be  struck  by  the 
inscriptions  on  the  tombstones  In  memory  of  the  Eskimos 
who  have  visited  or  died  there: — Hannah,  aged  38; 
Kod-la-go,  July  i,  i860;  Ou-se-gong  (Jeannle),  July  i,  1867, 
aged  28;  Tu-ke-il-ke-ta,  Feb.  28,  1863,  aged  18  months, 
(Hannah's  first  child,  who  died  in  New  "York)  ;  Sylvia 
Grinnell  Ebierbing  (Punna),  born  at  Ig-loo-lik,  July  1866, 
died  March  18, 1875.    The  last  was  Joe's  and  Hannah's 


1 


llMlMi 


B  »«»ii  lilili  pmpn^i    ^f!ti0mtimi^:»^ 


-wsrr" 


504 


PROGRESS  OP  ARCTIC  DISCOVERY. 


adopted  daughter,  purchased  for  them  by  Hall  from  her 
parents,  in  1868,  by  the  gift  of  a  sled. 

It  is  time  now  to  turn  to  several  English  and  German 
expeditions  which  explored  the  Arctic  seas  during  the 
score  of  years  which  began  with  McCIintock's  successful 
voyage  in  the  "Fox"  already  related,  and  ended  with 
Hall's  disastrous  search  in  the  "  Polaris." 


AUSTRO-HUNGARIAN    EXPEDITION    UnDER    LiEUTS.    WeY- 
PRECHT     AND     PaYER — VARIOUS     OTHER      EXPEDITIONS 

FROM  Europe. — Nordenskiold. 


i>  I 


In  June,  187 1,  Lieuts.  Weyprecht  and  Payer,  in  a  small 
Norwegian  vessel,  sailed  from  Tromso,  Norway,  into  the 
Arctic  sea  to  the  North  of  Nova  Zembln.  They  found  an 
open  ocean  in  which  light  and  scattered  ice  was  the  only 
impediment  to  navigation.  This  expedition  reached  Lat. 
780  41'  N.  Dr.  Petermann,  the  German  geographer,  has 
stated  his  belief  that  Weyprecht  and  Payer  actually  pene- 
trated inro  the  open  polar  sea,  and  found  the  entrance  of 
the  best,  if  not  the  only  water  passage  to  the  neighbor- 
hood of  the  Pole — that  the  Pole  can  best  be  reached  by 
following  the  course  of  the  Gulf  Stream  northward  between 
Spitzbergen  and  Nova  Zembla — and  that  the  warmer 
water  oS  the  Gulf  current  not  only  keeps  the  northern 
channel  free  from  ice  at  this  point,  but  is  the  caise  of  the 
open  polar  sea.  Weyprecht  and  Payer,  in  their  Austro- 
Hungarian  Expedition  of  1872-1874,  discovered  a  new 
land  about  200  miles  north  of  Nova  Zembla,  to  which  the 
name  Franz  Joseph  Land  has  been  assigned.  Its  south 
coast  lies  about  the  8oth  parallel,  and  it  was  explored  by 
means  of  sledges,  up  to  820  5'  N.,  while  land  was  seen 
extending  as  far  as  8^^  north.  The  Norwegian  captains 
Tobiesen  and  Mack  confirmed  the  discovery  of  open 
water  by  Payer  and  Weyprecht.  Another  Norwegian, 
Captain  Carlsen,  discovered  the  remains  of  the  winter- 
quarters  established  276  years  before — 1594-1596 — at  the 
N.E.  end  of  Nova  Zembla  by  the  Dutch  captain  William 
Barentz,  who  in  his  third  expedition  in  search  of  a  north- 


VARIOUS   EUROrEAN    EXPEDITIONS. 


565 


east  passage  reached  long.  looo  E.  near  Icy  Cape.  Helve 
and  Smyth  sailed  to  the  North  of  Spitzbergen  and  found 
open  water  even  in  lat.  80°  27'.  An  expedition  fitted  out 
by  A.  Rosenthal,  of  Bremerhaven,  explored  the  ocean  north 
of  Siberia.  An  English  Arctic  Expedition  under  Capt. 
Nares  already  referred  to  in  connection  with  the  last 
voyage  of  Hall  (who  reached,  through  a  strait  which  he 
named  Robeson,  82^  16,')  sailed,  in  1875,  through  Smith 
Sound,  and  crossed  the  highest  latitude  yet  attained,  830 
20.  In  1875,  and  again  in  1876,  Professor  Nordenskiold 
reached  the  eastern  shores  of  the  Gulf  of  Obi ;  and  in 
July,  1878,  a  well-equipped  Swedish  expedition  in  the 
"Vega,"  under  that  veteran  explorer,  attempted  once 
more  the  northeast  passage.  The  party  successfully 
rounded  Cape  Chelynskin,  and  in  September  were  able  to 
start  from  the  mouths  of  the  Lena  for  Bering's  Strait. 
(For  a  full  account  of  Prof.  Nordenskiold's  important  dis- 
coveries on  the  north  of  Europe  and  Asia,  down  to  1879, 
see  his  work  on  the  voyage  of  the  *'  Vega,"  published  in 
New  York  in  1882.*)  Thus  with  numerous  attempts  to 
sail  in  opposite  directions  around  the  northern  waters  of 
Europe,  Asia  and  America,  the  Arctic  regions  have  been 
surveyed  to  within  8  °  of  the  Polo^  and  we  are  able  to 
construct  a  circumpolar  map  with  measurable  correctness. 
The  northwest  and  northeast  passages  have  been  both  ef- 
fected, but  no  clear  way  for  commerce  has  been,  or  prob- 
ably ever  will  be,  discovered. 


i' 


*In  1875  Capt.  Allen  Young,  R.  N.,  sailed  in  the  "  Pandora '  for 
the  western  coast  of  Greenland,  intending  to  proceed  through  Baffin's 
Bay,  Lancaster  Sound  and  Barrow  Strait  towards  the  magnetic  Pole, 
gnd,  if  possible,  to  navigate  through  the  northwest  passage  to  the 
pacific  Ocean  in  one  season.  He  adds  :  "As,  in  following  this  route, 
the  "  Pandora  "  would  pass  King  William  Land,  it  was  proposed,  if  suc- 
cessful in  reaching  that  locality  in  the  summer  season  when  the  snow 
WIS  off  the  land,  to  make  a  search  for  further  records  and  for  the 
(ou:iiils  of  the  ships  **  Erebus  "  and  "  Terror."  In  Franklin  Chan- 
nel tl  0  "  Pandora  "  encountered  at  the  Roquette  Islands,  140  miles  from 
Point  Victory,  an  impenetrable  ice-pack.  This  defeated  the  prime  ob- 
ject^ of  the  expedition,  and  it  soon  returned  to  Englan4* 


*>, 


IMAGE  EVALUATION 
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} 


566 


PROGRESS   OF    ARCTIC    DISCOVERY. 


Expedition   of   Lii:ut.    Sciiwatka,    U.  S.  A.,    in   the 
EoTHEN,"  Capt.  T.   F.  Barry,  June  19,  1878. 


(( 


m 


Lieut.  Frederick  Schwatka,  of  the  3d  U.  S.  Cavalry,  ob- 
taining leave  of  absence  from  regular  army  duty,  fitted  out 
in  June,  1878,  by  private  subscription,  the  steamer 
"  Eothen,"  commanded  by  Capt.  T.  F.  Barry,  with  a  crew 
of  23  men.  The  "  Eothen  "  was  a  seaworthy  vessel  of 
102  tons,  and  was  made  still  stouter  with  oak  planking 
I  1-2  inch  thick  c:'\  her  hull,  and  two  feet  thick  on  her 
stern,  besides  3-4  inch  of  iron  plating.  Joe  Ebierbing, 
who  had  returned  from  his  polar  expedition  in  the  *'  Pan- 
dora "  under  Capt.  Young,  was  a  member  of  the  party. 
The  immediate  object  of  Lieut.  Schwatka  was  to  search 
for  the  cairns  and  buried  papers  of  Sir  John  Franklin's 
Expedition,  which  were  rumored  to  exist  in  King  William 
Land.  The  expedition  sailed  June  19, 1878.  William  H 
Gilder  was  second  in  command.  On  the  19th  of  July  ice 
bergs  were  plentiful  in  lat.  59°  54  N.,  long.  60°  45'  W 
Aug.  17,  the  ship  reached  Whale  Point,  in  an  arm  of  Hud 
son's  Bay.  Here  "  igloos  "  were  built  on  shore,  in  lat 
63  o  61'  N.,  long.  60*^.  26'  15"  W.,  where  the  party  passed 
the  winter  to  April  i,  1879.  Schwatka  then  undertook  a 
sledge  journey  of  3,251  miles,  occupying  eleven  months. 
Thirteen  Innuit  men,  women  and  children  accompanied 
these  sledges,  which  were  drawn  by  42  dogs,  and  bore  of 
supplies,  5,000  pounds.  Their  course  was  north-northwest, 
over  a  region  hitherto  unvisited  by  white  men  or  Innuits, 
May  15th,  on  a  branch  of  Fish  River,  they  came  across  a 
party  of  Ook-joo-liks,  who  gave  the  usual  account  of  the 
missing  crews.  Schwatka  and  Gilder  soon  reached  Back's 
River,  and  on  June  4  visited  a  cairn  on  Pfeffer  River,  the 
one  erected  by  Capt.  Hall,  May  12,  1869,  over  the  bones 
of  two  of  Franklin's  men.  Many  relics  were  found,  the 
most  interesting,  lying  on  a  stone  at  the  foot  of  an 
open  grave,  a  silver  medal  awarded  to  Lieut.  John  Irving, 
third  officer  of  the  "  Terror,"  bei-ng  the  second  mathemat- 
ical prize  in  the  Royal  Naval  College.  The  skull  and 
some  bones  were  picked  up,  and  afterwards  sent  to  the 
relatives  of  Lieut.  Irving  in  Scotland,  who  buried  them 
with  due  honor  in  his  native  town.     Before  leaving  Cape 


SCHWATKAFINDS  RELICS  OF  FRANKHW. 


567 


Felix,  Schwatka  ert  ?tecl  a  monument  over  Irving's  grave, 
and  buried  a  copy  of  McClintock's  record  left  here. 
Cape  Felix,  the  most  northern  point  of  King  William 
Land,  was  reached  by  the  travellers  July  3d.  For  food 
they  killed  the  musk-ox,  ducks,  geese  and  reindeer,  and 
<his  meat,  eaten  raw,  or  as  soon  as  killed,  occasioned  much 
diarrhoea.  Cairns  were  found  near  the  coast;  containing 
traces  of  the  lost  navigators.  Lieut.  Schwatka  took  down 
a  pillar  seven  feet  high,  but  found  no  records.  He  rebuilt 
tt  carefully,  and  deposited  therein  the  records  of  his  own 
party.  The  lieutenant,  on  July  13,  turned  south,  travelling 
down  the  ccast.  Tenting-places  were  found  of  white  men 
and  natives,  a  torn-down  cairn,  an  empty  grave,  and  at 
eonie  distance  a  skull  which  appeared  to  have  been 
dragged  there  by  wild  beasts.  Gilder  in  his  narra- 
tive says,  that  "  wherever  they  found  graves  they  always 
round  evidences  that  the  natives  had  encamped  in  the 
neighborhood  like  vultures." — Terror  Bay  was  reached 
Aug.  3,  on  foot,  the  ice  and  snow  being  too  soft  for  sledg- 
ing. Sept.  19,  a  permanent  winter  camp  was  formed  on 
Simpson's  Strait.  Reindeer  in  large  herds  were  seen,  and 
supplied  the  party  with  meat.  But  by  Oct.  14,  this  supply 
of  food  gave  out.  Dec.  10,  the  journey  south  was  con- 
tinued, and,  owing  to  a  lack  of  food,  became  a  constant 
struggle  irbr  life.  Several  times  the  hunters  barely  escaped 
death  frohi  hungry  wolves.  The  reindeer  flesh  was  eaten 
raw,  and  find  to  be  *'  sawed  into  small  bit3  and  thawed  in 
the  mouth.  *  More  than  half  of  the  dogs  died.  One  snow 
storm  lasteti  13  days.  The  thermometer  fell  to  69  °  below 
zero  in  Dec,  averaging  — 50  °  F.  Jan.  3d  it  was  — 71  °  . 
The  lowest  temperature  in  Feb.  was  loi  °  below  the 
freezing  point.  March  4,  Schwatka  got  back  to  Depot 
Island,  but  found  that  Capt.  Barry  had  left  no  provisions 
there.  He  dien  started  for  Marble  Island,  where,  on  the 
21st  of  March,  1880,  the  whaler  "George  Henry"  was 
boarded,  Capt.  Gilder  first  reaching  the  ship. 

This  extraordinary  winter  journey  was  the  longest  and 
most  successful  of  any  ever  recorded.  Capt.  Gilder  thus 
sums  it  up  : — 


ii 


"  During  the  year  that  we  were  absent  from  the  verge  of  civilization, 
as  the  winter  harbor  of  the  whalers  may  be  considered,  we  bad  travelled 


508 


PROGRESS   OF   ARCTIC  DISCOVERT. 


'fT^^.' 


&. 


i( 


liV 


,/'0r^ 


two  thousand  eight  hundred  and  nineteen  geographical,  or  three  thou, 
sand  two  hundred  and  fiftvone  statute  miles,  most  of  which  wa  over 
unexplored  territory,  constituting  the  longest  sledge  journey  ever  made, 
both  as  to  lime  and  distance,  and  the  only  extended  sledge  Journey 
ever  accomplished  in  the  Arctic,  except  such  as  have  been  made  through 
countries  well  known  and  over  routes  almost  as  thoroughly  established 
as  post-rrads.  (Jur  sledge  journey  stands  conspicuous  as  the  only  one 
ever  made  through  the  entire  course  of  an  Arctic  winter,  and  one  re- 
garded by  the  natives  as  exceptionally  cold,  as  the  amount  of  suffering 
f  ^countered  by  those  remaining  at  Depot  Island  attested,  and  further 
confirmed,  as  we  afterward  learned,  by  the  experience  of  those  who 
wintered  at  Wager  River,  where  many  deaths  occurred,  attributable  to 
the  unusual  severity  of  the  season.  The  party  successfullv  withstood 
the  lowest  temperature  ever  experienced  by -white  men  in  the  field,  re- 
cording one  observation  of — 71  degrees  Fah.,  sixteen  days  whose  aver- 
age was  one  hundred  degrees  behnv  the  freezing  point,  and  twenty- 
s.ven  which  registered  below — 60  degrees,  during  most  of  which  the 
party  travelled.  In  fact  the  expedition  never  took  cold  into  consider- 
ation, or  halted  a  single  day  on  that  account. 

"During  the  entire  journey,  its  reliance  for  food  boch  for  man  and 
beast  may  be  said  to  have  been  solely  upon  the  resources  of  the  coun- 
try, as  the  expedition  started  with  less  than  one  month's  rations,  and 
it  is  the  first  in  which  the  white  men  of  an  expedition  voluntarily  lived 
exclHsi7'cly  upon  the  same  fare  as  its  Eskimo  assistants,  thus  snowing 
that  while  men  can  safely  adapt  themselves  to  the  climate  and  life  of 
the  Eskimos,  and  prosecute  their  journeys  in  any  season  or  under  such 
circumstances  as  would  try  the  natives  of  the  country  themselves. 

"  Tlie  Expedition  was  the  first  to  make  a  summer  search  over  the 
route  of  the  lost  crews  of  the  '  Erebus '  and  *  Terror,  and  while  so 
doing  buried  the  remains  of  every  member  of  that  fated  party  found 
above  ground,  so  that  no  longer  the  bleached  bones  of  those  unfort- 
unate explorers  whiten  the  coasts  of  King  William  Land  and  Adelaide 
Peninsula  as  an  eternal  rebuke  to  civilization,  but  all  have,  for  thp  time 
being  at  least,  recei*  ed  decent  and  respectful  interment. 

*'  The  most  important  and  direct  result  of  the  labors  of  the  expe- 
dition will  undoubtedly  be  considered  the  establishing  the  loss  of  the 
Franklin  records  at  the  boat  place  in  Starvation  Cove;  and  as  evet 
since  I^r.  Kae's  expedition  of  1854,  which  ascertained  the  fate  of  the 
party,  the  recovery  of  the  Records  has  been  the  main  object  of  sub- 
sequent exploring  in  this  direction,  the  history  of  the  Franklin  expc 
dition  may  now  be  considered  as  closed.  As  ascertaining  the  Tate  of  the 
party  was  not  so  gratifying  as  would  have  been  their  rescue  or  the 
relief  of  any  number  thereof,  so  it  is  in  establishing  the  fate  of  the 
record  of  their  labors.  Next  in  importance  to  their  recovery  must  be 
considered  the  knowledge  of  tlieir  irrecoverable  loss.  .  .  . 

*'  The  excellent  management  of  the  Commander,  Lieut.  Schwatka, 
secured  his  party  from  many  of  the  usual  misfortunes  of  those  in  the 
field,  and  deprived  the  Expedition  of  the  sensational  character  it  might 
have  assumed  in  other  hands.  Every  contingency  was  calculated  upon 
and  provided  for  beforehand." — *'  Schwatka's  Search,  Sledging  in  the 
Arctic  ill  quest  of  Franklin  Records."    (Charles  Scribner's  Sons.  1881.) 


HUNTING  THE  MtTSK-O*. 


669 


The  chief  resource  of  Lieut.  Scnwatka's  party  in  this 
memorable  overland  journey  from  the  waters  of  North 
Hudson's  Bay  to  Back's  Great  Fish  River  (which  empties 
into  the  Arctic  Ocean  just  south  of  tlie  large  island  known 
as  King  William's  Land),  especially  as  food  for  their  nu- 
merous and  voracious  dogs,  were  the  musk-cattle  that  are 
sparsely  distributed  in  small  herds  over  that  desolate  re- 
gion. Lieut.  Schwatka's  account  of  the  manner  in  which 
the  natives  hunt  t.^is  remarkable  animal,  is  so  novel  and 
interesting  that  we  make  the  following  extracts  from  his 
article  in  the  "Century  Magazine  "  of  Sept.,  1883  :— 

After  some  two  or  three  hours  of  wandering  around  in  the  drifting 
mist,  guiding  our  movements  as  much  as  possible  by  the  direction  of 
the  wind,  we  came  plump  upon  the  trail,  apparently  not  over  ten  min- 
utes old,  of  some  six  or  seven  of  the  animals  now  probably  "doing  their 
level  best  "  to  escape.  The  sledges  were  immediately  stopped  and  the 
dogs  rapidly  unhitched  from  them,  from  one  to  three  or  four  being 
given  to  each  of  the  eleven  men  and  boys,  white  or  native,  that  were 
present,  who,  taking  their  harnesses  in  their  left  hands  or  tying  them 
in  slip-nooses  around  their  waists,  started  without  delay  upon  the  trail. 
The  dogs,  many  of  them  old  musk-ox  hunters,  and  with  appetites 
doubly  sharpened  by  hard  work  and  a  constantly  diminishing  ration, 
tugged  like  mad  at  their  seal-skin  harness  lines,  as  they  half  buried 
their  eager  noses  in  the  tumbled  snow  of  the  trail  and  hurried  their  hu- 
man companions  along  at  a  flying  rate  that  threatened  a  broken  limb  or 
neck  at  each  of  the  rough  gorges  and  jutting  precipices  of  the  broker,, 
stony  hill-land.  The  rapidity  with  which  an  agile  native  hunter  can 
run  when  thus  attached  to  two  or  three  excited  dogs  is  astonishing. 
Whenever  a  steep  valley  was  encountered  the  Eskimos  would  slide 
down  on  their  'eet,  in  a  sitting  posture,  throwing  the  loose  snow  to 
their  sides  like  escaping  steam  from  a  hissing  locomotive,  until  the 
bottom  was  reached  ;  then,  quick  as  thought,  they  would  throw  them- 
selves at  full  length  upon  the  snow,  and  the  wild,  excited  brutes  would 
drag  them  up  the  other  side,  where,  regaining  their  feet,  they  would 
run  on  at  a  constantly  accelerating  gait,  their  guns  in  the  meantime 
being  held  in  the  right  hand  or  tightly  lashed  upon  the  back. 

The  foremost  hunters  began  loosening  their  dogs  to  bring  the  oxen 
to  bay  as  soon  as  possible  ;  and  then,  for  the  first  time,  these  intelli- 
gent creatures  gc  ve  tongue  in  deep,  long  baying,  as  they  shot  forward 
like  arrows,  and  disappeared  over  the  crests  of  the  hills  amidst  a  per- 
fect bewilderment  of  flying  snow  and  fluttering  harness  traces.  The 
discord  of  shouts  and  bowlings  told  us  |)lainly  that  some  of  the  animals 
had  been  brought  to  bay  not  far  distant,  and  we  soon  heard  a  rapid 
series  of  sharp  reports  from  the  breech-loaders  and  magazine  guns  of 
the  advanced  hunters.  We  white  men  arrived  just  in  time  to  see  the 
final  struggle.  The  oxen  presented  a  most  formidable-looking  appear- 
ance, with  their  rumps  firmly  wedged  together,  a  complete  circle  of 
swaying  horns  presented  to  the  front,  with  great  blood-shot  eyeballs 


I  ; 


I    •■! 


11 


ill 


670 


PBOOBE8S  OF  ARCTIC  DISCOVERT. 


glaring  like  red-hot  shot  amidst  the  escaping  steam  from  their  pant!ng 
nostrils,  and  pawing  and  plunging  at  the  circle  uf  furious  dogs  that 
encompassed  them.  The  rapid  blazing  of  the  magazine  guns  right  in 
their  faces — ao  close,  often,  as  to  burn  their  long  shaggy  hair — addeO 
to  the  striiting  scene.  Woe  to  the  over-zealous  dog  that  was  unlucky 
enough  to  gei  iiis  harness  line  under  the  hoof  of  a  charging  and  infuri- 
ated musk-ox;  for  they  will  follow  up  a  leash  along  the  ground  with 
a  rapidity  and  certainty  that  would  do  credit  to  a  tight-rope  performer, 
and  either  paw  the  poor  creature  to  death  or  fling  him  high  in  the  air 
with  their  horns. 

Too-lo6-ah,  my  best  hunter, — an  agile,  wiry  young  IwilHk  Eskimo  of 
about  twenty-six,  with  the  pluck  and  endurance  of  a  blooded  horse, — 
and  half  the  dogs  pressed  onward  after  the  scattered  remnants  of  the 
herd,  and  succeeded  in  killing  two  more  after  a  hard  run  for  three 
miles.  The  last  one  he  would  probably  not  have  overtaken  if  the  swiftest 
dog,  Parseneuk,  had  not  chased  him  to  the  edge  of  a  steep  precipice. 
Here  a  second's  hesitation  gave  the  dog  a  chance  to  fasten  on  the 
ox's  heehi,  and  the  next  second  Parseneuk  was  making  an  involun- 
tary aerial  ascent,  which  was  hardly  finished  before  Too-lo&-ah  had 
put  three  sh-,.''a  from  his  Winchester  carbine  into  the  brute's  neck  and 
head,  vhereupon  the  two  animals  came  to  earth  together, — Parseneuk 
on  the  soft  snow  at  the  bottom  of  the  twenty-foot  precipice,  fortur»ately 
unhurt.  Parseneuk  was  a  trim-built  animal  that  I  had  secured  from 
the  K inrepetc.o  Eskimos  who  inhabit  the  shores  of  Chesterfield  Inlel 
being  one  of  the  very  few  tribes  of  tiie  great  Eskimo  family,  from  thi, 
Straits  of  Belle  Isle  to  those  of  Behring  Sea,  who  live  away  from  th» 
sea-coasts ;  Ins  pointed  ears  peered  cunningly  forth  in  strange  con- 
trast with  the  many  other  dogs  that  I  have  met,  whose  broken  and 
mutilated  ears  showed  plainly  the  fights  and  quarrels  in  which  they 
had  figured. 

The  chase  finished,  the  half  famished  dogs  received  all  thejr  could 
eat, — their  first  full  feast  in  over  three  weeks, — and  afier  loadmg  the 
two  sledges  with  the  remaining  meat  and  a  few  of  the  finer  robes  as 
mementos  and  trophies,  we  returned  to  our  morning's  camp,  a  distance 
of  five  or  six  miles,  which  we  travelled  slowly  enough,  our  over-fed 
dogs  hardly  noticing  the  most  vigorous  applications  of  the  well-ap- 
■  plied  whip. 

The  Eskimos  with  whom  I  was  brought  in  contact  never  hunt  the 
musk-oxen  without  a  plentiful  supply  of  well  trained  dogs;  for  with 
their  help,  the  hunters  are  almost  certain  of  securing  the  whole  herd 
unless  the  animals  are  apprised  of  the  approach,  as  they  were  in  our 
encounter  with  them.  When  the  flying  herd  has  been  brought  to 
bay  in  their  circle  of  defense  by  the  dogs,  the  Eskimo  hunters  ap- 
proach within  five  or  six  feet  and  make  sure  of  every  shot  that  is  fired, 
as  a  wounded  animal  is  somewhat  dangerous,  and  extremely  liable  to 
stampede  the  herd. 

Lieut.  Schwatka  and  his  party  arrived  home  in  good 
health  Sept.  22d,  1880.  Schwatka,  by  act  of  Congress 
approved  Aug.  7,  1882,  was  allowed  full  pay  during  hift 


DELONG  AND  THE  JEANNETTE. 


571 


absence  from  March  5,  1878,  to  Oct.  i,  1880,  together 
with  mileage  from  Dakota  Territory  to  New  York,  and 
from  New  York  City  back  to  Vancouver  Barracks,  Wash- 
ington Territory.  The  Geographical  Society  of  Paris 
awarded  to  Lieut.  Schwatka  its  fifty-fourth  annual  gold 
medal  given  to  explorers.  M.  de  L(5sseps  in  presenting  it 
to  the  representative  of  the  U.  S.  Legation,  said  :  "  Be 
pleased  to  forward  this  medal  to  your  courageous  country- 
man, with  the  expression  of  our  esteem  for  him  and  his 
companions.  We  hope  also  that  the  Gordon  Bennetts, 
the  Lorillards,  and  the  other  Mecaenases  of  science  in  the 
United  States  will  accept  the  acknowledgments  addressed 
to  them  by  our  prize  commission,  and  cordially  concurred 
in  by  all  their  associates." — Thus,  Kane,  Hayes,  Hall  and 
Schwatka,  each  received  this  valued  medal  from  the  So' 
a'///  de  Gtfogmphie. 


Lieutenant  G.  W.  DeLong's  Expedition  in  the 
"  Jeannette,"  formerly  the  "  Pandora,"  pur- 
chased FOR  HIM  BY  James  Gordon  Bennett. 

Lieut.  DeLong,  U.  S.  N.,  had  been  sent  by  the  Navy 
Department  in  the  "  Juniata,"  to  the  Greenland  coast  in 
search  of  Capt.  Hall's  party  of  1873,  and  had  then,  doubt- 
lest%  imbibed  the  Arctic- Exploring  fever.  In  1876,  having 
been  promised  assistance  by  Mr.  Bennett,  he  obtained 
from  the  Navy  Department  leave  of  absence,  and  visited 
England  in  search  of  a  suitable  vessel.  Here  he  fixed 
upon  the  "  Pandora,"  of  420  tons  burthen,  which  had 
already  made  two  Arctic  voyages  under  Capt.  Allen 
Young,  R.  N.  Mr.  Bennett  purchased  this  vessel,  and  she 
was  equipped  in  the  yhip-yard  at  Deptford,  and  shipped 
her  crew  at  Cowes.  DeLong  sailed  for  San  Francisco  by 
way  of  the  Horn  July  15,  1878,  and  arrived  there  Dec.  27. 
Lieut.  J.  W.  Danenhower,  U.  S.  N.,  joined  him  as  execu- 
tive officer  for  the  cruise.  In  Feb.,  1879,  by  act  of  Con- 
gress, the  Government  of  the  U.  S.  accepted  the  "  Jean- 
nette "  from  Mr.  Bennett  for  "  a  voyage  of  exploration." 
It  was  DeLong's  intention,  as  he  wrote,  to  "  attack  the 
Polar  regions  by  the  way  of  Bering  Straits,  and  if  our  ef- 


t 


T"T 


572 


TBOaUKSS  OF   ABCTIO  DISCOVEBY. 


m 


forts  are  not  crowned  with  success,  we  shall  have  made  an 
attempt  in  a  new  direction,  and  examined  a  hitherto  un« 
known  country."     [A  true  prophecy  !] 

The  "  Jeannette  "  was  repaired  by  the  Commandant  of 
the  Navy  Yard  '.t  Mare  Island,  San  Francisco,  under  the 
direction  of  a  Board  of  Naval  officers,  at  an  outlay  of 
$100,000.  Yet  a  second  Naval  Board  reported  to  Com- 
modore Calhoun,  June  26, 1879,  that  "while  she  had  been 
repaited  and  placed  in  condition  for  Arctic  service,  so  far 
as  practicable,  it  was  not  possible  in  the  opinion  of  the 
Board  to  make  her  particularly  adapted  for  an  extended 
Arctic  cruise."  But  Lieut.  DeLong,  after  leaving^  San 
Francisco,. wrote  to  Mr.  Bennett:  "She  is  everything  I 
want  for  the  expedition,  but  a  little  small  for  all  I  want  to 
carry  in  her.  *  *  Our  outfit  is  simply  perfect,  whether 
for  ice  or  navigation,  astronomical  work,  magnetic  work, 
gravity  experiments,  or  collections  of  Natural  History. 
We  have  a  good  crew,  good  food,  and  a  good  ship ;  and  I 
think  we  have  the  right  kind  of  stuff  to  dare  all  that  man 
can  do." 

The  crew  consisted  of  32  persons,  volunteers :  Geo. 
W.  DeLong,  Lieut.  U.  S.  N.  commanding;  Charles  W. 
Chipp,  Lieut.  U.  S.  N.,  DeLong's  associate  in  the  cruise 
for  Hall,  July,  1873,  executive  officer;  John  W.  Danen- 
hower,  \J.  S.  N.,  master ;  the  other  names  will  appear  in 
the  course  of  the  narrative-  Lieut.  DeLong  received  in- 
structions from  Secretary  Thompson,  June  1879,  on  reach- 
ing Bering  Strait,  to  "  make  diligent  inquiry  at  such  points 
where  he  deemed  it  likely  that  information  could  be  ob- 
tained concerning  the  fate  of  Prof.  Nordenskiold  (of  the 
"  Vega  ") ;  if  he  had  good  and  sufficient  reasons  for  be- 
lieving Nordenskiold  was  safe,  he  would  proceed  on  his 
voyage ;  if  otherwise,  he  would  pursue  such  a  course  as 
would  be  judged  necessary  for  his  aid  and  relief." 

The  "Jeannette"  steamed  out  of  the  harbor  of  San 
Francisco  July  8,  1879.  She  reached  Ounalaska  Island 
Aug.  3.  At  St.  Michael's,  her  next  anchorage,  DeLong 
purchased  forty  dogs,  and  engaged  two  Indian  hunters  and 
dog-drivers — Anegguin  and  Alexai.  The  "  Jeannette  " 
was  too  deeply  laden  to  move  rapidly.  The  schooner 
"F.  A.  Hyde,"  with  coal  and  extra  stores,  arrived  from 


NORDHNSKIOLD   AND   THE    VEOA. 


678 


in 


ints 
ob. 
the 
be- 
his 
as 


te 

nei 

om 


San  Francisco  An?.  iJUh,  and  followed  the  "Jeannette" 
to  St.  Lawrence  ]i;iy,  which  both  vessels  reached  on  the 
25ih,  encountering  on  the  way  terrible  gales.     The  sea 
swept  over  the  decks  of  the  **  Jeannette,'   stove  in  her  for- 
ward parts,  carried  away  the  bridge  and  caved  the  bulk* 
heads.     When  the  ship  got  om  clear  of  land  into  Bering 
Sea,  the  water  was  so  shallow  that  a  very  ugly  sea  was 
raised  during  a  gale  that  lasted  thirty  hours.     Here  a  na- 
tive chief  told  them  that  he  had  been  on  a  small  steamer 
three  months  before  ;  DeLong  felt  convinced  that  this  was 
the    "Vega"   of  Nordenskiold,  though  when    last  heard 
from  the    latter    was  at  Cape  Serdze  Kamen,  130  miles 
distant.     On  the  27th  he  took  a  northwest  course  toward 
Bering  Strait.     On  the  3olh,  Lieut.  Chipp  landed  at  the 
Cape,  lat.  67°    12'  N.,  and  learned  from  an  old  squaw 
that  the  "  Vega  "  had  wintered  on  the  east  of  Kolintchin 
Bay,  and  then  gone  south.     The  party  on  the  31st  landed 
on  the  bay,  and  satisfied  themselves  by  the  pajDers  and 
relics  found,  that  this  was  true.     On  the  6th  of  Sept.  the 
steamer  was  hemmed   in  by  ice.     DeLong  wrote  in  his 
Journal:  "I  am  hoping  and  praying  to  get  the  ship  into 
Herald  Island  to  make  winter-quarters.     As  far  as  the  eye 
can  range  is  ice,  and  not  only  does  it  look  as  if  it  never 
had  broken  up,  but  it  also  looks  as  if  it  never  would."     It 
did  not.     On  the  8th,  in  lat.  71  o  35'  N.,  175  o  5'  48"  W. 
the  "Jeannette"  was  stopped  by  solid  floes,  and  the  ice- 
anchors  were  planted.     She  was  held  tight  as  a  vice,  and 
drifted  to  the  north  and  west.     Oct.  3d  the  drift  changed 
to  the  south,  and  Herald  Island  was  in  sight  to  the  south- 
southeast.     On  the  28th,  in  71°    57'  N.,  177°    51'  W. 
DeLong  saw  one  large  island  with  three  peaks,  which  he 
believed  to  be  the  north  side  of  Wrangell  Land,  which  he 
now  felt  sure  was  not  a  continent,  but  "  either  one  large 
island  or  an  archipelago."     The  night  of  the  28th  is  de- 
scribed by  DeLong :    "  The  heavens  were  cloudless,  the 
moon  very  nearly  full  and  shining  brightly,  and  every  star 
twinkling  ;  the  air  perfectly  calm,  and  not  a  sound  to  break 
the  spell.     *     *     Standing  out  in  bold  relief  against  the 
blue  sky,  every  rope  and  spar  with  a  thick  coat  of  snow 
and  frost,"  the  ship  "  was  simply  a  beautiful  spectacle." 
Nov.  nth  the  moving  ice  is  thus  described:  "Masses 


674 


PBOORESS   OP   ARCTIC  DISCOVERY. 


i:'f 


hV-!\ 


from  15  to  25  feet  in  height  when  up-ended,  slid  along  at 
\*arious  angles  of  elevation  and  poise,  and  between  and 
among  them  were  large  masses  of  debris  like  a  marble-- 
yard  adrift."     The  last  of  Nov.  the  ship  went  adrift  in  a 
gale,  but  at  7  P.  M.  was  frozen  in  solid  in  some  young  ice. 
Danenhower's  Journal  says  :  "  We   reckoned  that  she 
had  drifted  at  least  40  miles  with  the  ice  in  her  immediate 
vicinity On  one  occasion   I  stood  on  the  deck- 
house above  a  sharp  tongue  of  ice  that  pressed  the  port 
side  just  abaft  the  forechains,  and  in  the  wake  of  the  im- 
mense truss  that  had  been  strengthened  at  Mare  Island 
by  the  earnest  advice  of  Com.  Wm.  H.  Shock.     The  fate 
of  the  "  Jeannette  "  was  then  delicately  balanced,  and  when 
I  saw  the  immense  tongue  break  and  harmlessly  underrun 
the  ship,  I  gave  heartfelt  thanks  to  Shock's  good  judg- 
ment.    She  would  groan  from  stem  to  stern  ;  the  cabin- 
doors  were  often  jammed  so  that  we  could  not  get  out  in 
case  of  an  emergency,  and  the  heavy  truss  was  imbedded 
three-quarters  of  an  inch  into  the  ceiling.     The  safety  of 
the   ship  at   that   time   was   due   entirely   to   the  Miss." 
DeLong  says  :  "  A  crisis  ma"  -^  ^e  at  any  moment.  .  .  . 
Living  over  a  powder-mill,  w,        ••  for  an  explosion,  would 
be  a  similar  mode  of  exist^ucj."     Jan.  14,  1880,  the  ice 
began  to  move  to  the  eastward  ;  the  Hoes  were  piled  under 
the  stem,  breaking  the  fore-foot.     The  ship  leaked ;  the 
water  was  18  inches  deep  in  the  fore-peak,  and  36  inches 
in  the  fore-hold,  and  in  the  fire-room  ran  over  the  floor- 
plates  on  the  starboard  side.     On  the  2 2d,  at  noon,  the 
thermometer  was  — 37°.     DcLong's  state  of  mind  is  thus 
described :  "  My  anxieties  are  beginning  to  crowd  on  me. 
A   disabled   and   leaking   ship,   a   seriously   sick    officer 
[Danenhower,  upon  whose  left  eye,  inflamed  and  nearly 
blind,  the  surgeon  had  performed  several  painful  opera- 
tions] and  an  uneasy  and  terrible  pack,  with  the  constantly 
diminishing  coal-pile,  and  at  a  distance  of  200  miles  from 
the  nearest  Siberian  settlement — these  are  enough  to  think 
of  for  a  lifetime." — The  steam  pump  gained  on  the  water 
in  the  ship,  on  Jan.  27th  pumping  out  2250  gallons  per 
hour.      Nindemann   and    Sweetman,    two    of   the   crew, 
worked  14  hours  per  day  stuffing  plaster-of-paris  and  ashes, 
which  soon  diminished  the  leak  in  the  berth  deck  450 


POLAR  GATEWAY  A  DELUSION. 


675 


gallons  per  hour  The  sun  reappeared  Jan.  26th,  and 
after  71  days'  comparative  darkness,  there  was  sunlight 
or  moonlight  all  the  time.  On  the  6th  of  March  the 
"Jeannette"  was  in  lat.  72^  12' N.,  long.  175**  30' W., 
her  drift  was  zigzag  ;  on  the  30th,  she  occupied  a  position 
almost  identical  with  that  of  four  months  previous.  A 
walrus  was  shot,  and  used  for  dog  food,  which  weighed 
about  2800  pounds. — DeLong  says,  regarding  the  Arctic 
currents : — 


"  A  drift  of  5  i  miles  to  South  38"  K.  The  irony  of  fate  !  How  long,  O 
Lord?  How  long  ?  As  to  there  being  any  warm  current  reaching  to  a 
high  latitude,  we  have  found  none.  I  am  inclined  to  agree  with 
Lieutenant  Weyprecht,  when  he  says,  'The  Gulf  Stream  does  not 
regulate  the  limits  of  the  ice  ;  but  the  ice,  set  in  motion  by  winds,  re- 
gulates the  lin^its  of  the  warmer  Gulf  Stream  water ;  and  I  pronounce 
a  thermometric  gateway  to  the  Pole  :\.<h'lnsioft  and  a  snare.'  (^f  course, 
if  any  warm  current  came  through  liering  Strait,  it  would  be  the 
Kuro  Siwa,  and  our  sea  teni|)eraturcs  have  indicated  no  such  fact." 
Lieut.  Danenhower  says:  "The  important  point  of  the  drift  is  in  the 
fact  that  the  ship  traversed  an  immense  area  of  ocean,  at  times 
gyrating  in  almost  perfect  circles,  her  course  and  the  observations  of 
her  officers  proving  that  land  does  not  exist  in  that  area,  and  estab- 
lishing many  facts  of  value  as  regards  the  depth  and  character  of  the 
ocean  bed  and  its  temperatures,  animal  life,  etc.  It  is  matter  of 
lasting  regret  that  the  two  thousand  observations  of  Lieut.  Chipp,  an 
accomplished  electrician,  especially  upon  the  disturbances  of  the  gal- 
vanometer during  auroras,  as  recommended  to  be  made  by  the  Smith- 
sonian Institution,  as  well  as  the  meteorological  observations  of  Mr. 
Collins,  perished  with  the  lamented  young  officers  in  the  wreck  of 
their  boat  on  the  Siberian  shore.  " 

A  windmill  pump  was  constructed  by  George  W.  Mel- 
ville, asst.  engineer,  Alfred  Sweetman,  carpenter,  and 
Walter  Lee,  machinist,  which  took  the  place  of  the  Sewell 
steam  pump,  and  saved  the  fast-diminishing  coal.  At  the 
close  of  May  the  ship  was  190  miles  northwest  of  Herald 
Island.  On  the  30th  of  June,  after  nine  months'  drifting, 
the  ship  was  in  lat.  72°  19'  41  '  N.,  long.  178**  27'  30"  E. 
She  was  heeling  4°  to  starboard.  The  thermometer  had 
risen  to  37"  below  freezing. 

August  17th,  DeLong  has  this  entry:  "Our  glorious 
summer  is  passing  away  :  it  is  painful  beyond  expression 
to  go  round  the  ice  in  the  morning  and  see  no  change 
since  the  night  before  ...  High  as  our  temp,  is  (34**) 
foggy  weather  a  daily  occurrence,  yet  here  we  are  hard  and 


>     i! 


i 


676 


PBOORBSS  OV  ABCTIO  DISCOTBBT. 


^# 


ftuf, 

6'/ 


wii'^ 


i;  >   ■ 

d'  ■ 


fasti,  with  ponds  here  and  there  two  or  three  feet  deep  .  , 
Does  the  ice  never  find  an  outlet  ?     It   has  no  regular 

set north,  south,  east,  or  west,  so  far  as  I   can 

judge,  but  slowly  surges  in  obedience  to  wind-pressure, 
and  grinds  back  to  an  equilibrium  when  the  pressure 
ceases.  Are  there  no  tides  in  this  ocean  ?  .  .  .  The  ice  is 
as  immovable  as  a  rock.  It  is  hard  to  believe  that  an  im- 
penetrable barrier  exists  clear  up  to  the  Pole,  and  yet.  .  • 
we  have  not  seen  one  speck  of  land  north  of  Herald 
Island."  By  Sept.  i,  the  ship  was  on  an  even  keel,  but 
immovable.  More  water  came  in,  and  even  should  she 
float,  there  was  too  much  fear  that  she  would  sink,  in 
which  disastrous  event  the  ice  floes  were  an  uncertain 
refuge.  DeLong  sadly  says  :  "  I  can  conceive  no  greater 
forlorn  hope  than  to  attempt  to  reach  Siberia  <f^er  the  ice, 
with  the  winter's  cold  sapping  one's  life  at  ever  step!" 
He  thus  describes  the  winter  night : — "  Imagine  a  moon 
nearly  full,  a  cloudless  sky,  brilliant  stars,  a  pure  white 
waste  of  snow-covered  ice,  which  seems  .^rm  and  crisp  under 
your  feet,  a  ship  standing  out  in  bold  relief,  every  rope  and 
thread  plainly  visible,  and  enormously  enlarged  by  accumu- 
lations of  fluffy  and  down-like  frost  feathers  ;  and  you  have 
a  crude  picture  of  the  scene  ....  but  must  experience  the 
majestic  and  awful  silence  which  generally  prevails  .... 
and  causes  one  to  feel  how  trifling  and  insignificant  he  is  in 
comparison  with  such  grand  works  in  nature.  The  bright- 
ness is  wonderful.  The  reflection  of  moonlight  from 
bright  ice-spots  makes  brilliant  effects,  and  should  a  stray 
piece  of  tin  be  near  you,  it  seems  to  have  the  light  of  a 
dazzling  gem.  A  window  in  the  deck-house  looks  like 
a  calcium  light  when  the  moonlight  strikes  it  at  the  proper 
angle,  and  makes  the  feeble  light  from  an  oil-light  within 
seem  ridiculous  when  the  angle  is  changed."  Lieut. 
Chipp,  on  Dec.  27,  at  3  A.  M.,  described  "  a  bright  auroral 
curtain  about  lo**  above  the  horizon  from  east-southeast 
to  northwest,  generally  white,  but  occasionally  showing  a 
green  shade,  and,  rarely,  a  brownish-red  color,  which  dis- 
appeared as  soon  as  seen.  Above  this  curtain  the  sky 
was  of  a  deep  blue-black,  through  which  the  stars  shone 
brilliantly,  as  they  did  also  through  the  deepest  part  of  the 
curtain.     Above  the    deep   blue-black   were   irregular 


TBE  JEANXBTTB   SINKS  IN  88   FATUOUS.  577 

spirals  and  streaks  of  white  li^ht,  in  continuous  motion 
appearing  and  disappearing  rapidly.  From  cast  to  west, 
through  the  zenith,  was  an  Irregular  arch  formed  of  de- 
tached streaks  of  brownish-red  light,  among  which  white 
hght  would  suddenly  appear,  atid  as  suddenly  vanish. 
This  arch  was  5**  broad.  Stars  shone  with  apparently 
undiminished  brilliancy  through  the  deepest  color." — 
DeLong's  Journal,  especially,  exhibits  unwavering  resigna- 
tion to  the  behests  of  Providence.  J?\n.  i,  i88i,  he  wrote  : 
"  I  begin  the  new  year  by  turning  over  a  new  leaf  in  this 
book,  and  I  hope  to  God  we  are  turning  over  a  new  leaf 
in  our  book  of  luck.  I  am  thankful  for  our  preservation 
among  many  perils.'* 

On  the  i6th  of  May,  188 1,  an  island  was  discovered  by 
Ice-Master  Dunbar.  DeLong,  exclaims  :  "Fourteen  months 
without  anything  to  look  at  but  ice  and  sky,  and  twenty 
months  drifting  in  the  pack,  will  make  a  little  mass  of 
volcanic  rock  like  nnr  island  as  pleasing  to  the  eye  as  an 
oasis  in  the  desert."  On  the  17th  the  ship  was  in  lat.  76** 
43'  38"  ;  long.  E.  161°  42'  30".  The  ''  Jeannette  "  drifted 
past  the  north  side  of  the  island  so  rapidly  in  the  broken 
pack  that  a  landing  was  not  attempted.  It  was  named 
*' Jeannette."  On  the  24ih  another  island  was  seen  dis- 
tant about  15  or  20  miles,  and  on  the  31st  Engineer  Mel- 
ville, with  five  seamen,  and  a  fifteen  dog  t<;am,  set  out  to  visit 
it.  On  June  3d  they  landed,  hoisted  the  American  flag, 
and  named  the  island  Henrietta  ;  a  cairn  was  built  and  a 
record  put  in  it.  The  island  was  a  desolate  rock  sur- 
rounded by  a  snow  cap,  with  glaciers  on  its  east  face. 
The  only  signs  of  life  were  dovekies  on  the  cliffs.  De- 
Long  thanked  God  for  this  little  speck  of  newly-discovered 
land  ;  his  longing  heart  had  to  be  satisfied  with  his  rare  op- 
portunities to  contribute  something  to  our  knowledge  of 
the  earth.  But  his  perils  on  the  icy  and  unknown  deep 
have  a  lurid  attraction  which  is  lacking  to  the  savage 
islands  to  which  the  United  States  cannot  assert  her  claim 
of  sovereignty. 

On  the  13th  of  June,  1881,  came  the  long  threatened 
catastrophe  to  the  ship.  On  the  12th,  at  midnight,  the 
whole  pack  was  alive,  and  she  was  set  free  by  the  split  of 
the  floe  on  a  line  with  her  keel.    The  ice  commej^ced  com- 


578 


PR0GRK88  OP   AKCTIC   DISCOVKllT. 


ing  in  on  her  side,  with  a  hissing,  crumbling  sound,  and  at 
3.40  1\  M.  it  came  through  the  starboard  coal  bunkers. 
Tiie  ship  heeled  more  than  20"  to  starboard  ;  her  bows 
were  high  in  the  air,  showing  the  injury  to  her  forefoot 
made  Jan.  19,  18S0.  The  order  was  given  to  leave  the 
vessel  ;  chroni)inetcrs,  ritles,  ainnumition,  and  whatever 
couKl  be  saved,  were  thrown  on  tlie  Hoe.  DeLong  was 
everywiiere,  seeing  that  all  things  went  on  smoothly  and 
quietly,  without  the  least  haste  or  consternation.  The 
first  and  secoml  cutter,  and  whale-boat  were  lowered,  and 
at  1 1  p.  m.  the  ship's  i);irty  of  3,^  men  pitched  their  tents, 
six  in  number,  on  the  (loe.  JJut  this  Hoe  was  breaking  up, 
and  another  was  sought  about  400  yards  from  the  ship  in 
lat.  77^  14'  57"  N.,  long,  154^  5S'45"  K.  At  4  A.  M.,June 
13,  the  ice  which  had  helii  togetlier  the  "  jeannctte's  " 
broken  timbers  gave  way,  ami  with  her  colors  Hying  at 
the  mastheatl,  she  sank  in  t^'^  fathoms  of  loater. 

Eight  of  the  "  Jeannette's  "  crew  were  sick  with  lead 
poisoning  from  tomato  cans,  and  this  delayed  the  start 
southward  until  June  17.  It  was  350  miles  to  Siberia,  1500 
miles  to  Yakoutsk,  6500  miles  to  St.  Petersburg  1  A  cheer- 
ing prospect,  indeed  !  yet  the  men  kept  up  their  spirits. 
Ships  cannot  contend  with  the  /vrctic  Seas,  but  men  hope 
and  strive  as  long  as  they  retain  available  life  !  They  had 
of  provisions,  5000  pounds  of  American  pemmican  (dried 
and  cured  or  pulverized  meat)  in  canisters,  about  1500 
pounds  of  other  canned  goods,  and  1500  pounds  of  bread, 
ammunition,  5  boats  and  9  sleds.  To  carry  along  these 
necessarv  articles  the  men  had  to  go  over  the  road  six  times 
back  and  forth  until  the  latter  part  of  June,  when  the  snow 
was  melted — then  they  could  bring  forward  their  equipage 
in  four  loads,  or  seven  journeys.  At  first  they  travelled 
thus  26  miles  to  make  only  two.  But  this  advance  was 
delusive — for,  on  the  23d,  DeLong's  observations  proved 
that  they  had  lost  27  miles  by  the  drift  to  the  northwest 
in  excess  of  their  progress  south  !  July  28th  a  landing  was 
made  on  an  island  in  hit.  76^  38"  N.,  long.  148"  20"  E. 
which  DeLong  named  "  Bennett  Island,"  and  the  south, 
cliff  "  Cape  Emma."  The  island  is  of  volcanic  origin,  and 
is  composed  of  trap,  feldspathic  and  igneous  rock,  "  with 
silica,"  says  Dr.  Ambler,    *'  caught  up    in  it  in  masses ; 


1500 


-y 


hope 
had 
(dried 
1500 
3  re  ad, 
these 
times 
snow 
lipage 
veiled 
was 
oved 
hwest 
g  was 
o"  E. 
iouth, 
J,  and 
►*  with 
iisses  9 


TtlRIR  LAHT   HOAT   JOUUNEY. 


579 


trap-rock  with  globules  of  silica,  about  the  size  of  a  pea," 
which  "  receive  a  bright  polish  from  the  finger,  and  are 
soft  enough  to  be  cut  with  a  knife."  Again  the  starry 
flag  was  unfurled,  and  possession  taken  of  the  island  in 
the  name  of  the  I'resident  of  the  United  States.  All 
these  newly  discovered  lands  have  since  been  entered  on 
the  charts  of  U.  S.  Ilydrographic  Office,  as  the  "  DeLorig 
Islands."  Numerous  birds,  fit  for  food,  so  tame  as  to 
be  easily  knocked  down,  were  found.  On  the  east  side 
were  several  grassy  valleys.  Lieut.  Danenhower  brought 
home  geological  specimens,  and  Dr.  Ambler  gathered 
amethysts,  opals,  and  petrifactions,  which,  alas  !  he  was  not 
destined  to  bring  home.  The  party  left  the  island  Aug.  6th. 
After  drifting  along  the  north  coast  of  Thaddeus  Island, 
about  the  middle  of  the  month  they  gained  navigable 
water,  and  took  to  their  boats.  Capt.  DeLong,  Surgeon 
Ambler,  Mr.  Collins,  and  eleven  of  the  crew,  took  the  first 
cutter  ;  Lieut.  Chipp,  Mr.  Dunbar,  and  six  of  the  crew, 
the  second  cutter;  Engineer  Melville,  Lieut.  Danen- 
hower, and  eight  of  the  crew,  the  whale-boat.  Sept.  loth 
the  Asiatic  coast  was  in  sight ;  the  boats  landed  on  Sem- 
enovski  Island,  and  parties  were  sent  out  hunting.  Foot- 
prints of  a  civilized  boot  were  found  in  a  deserted  hut. 
Sept.  1 2th  the  three  boats  again  took  the  water,  and  in 
the  midst  of  a  great  gale  from  the  northeast,  at  7  P.  M. 
lost  sight  of  each  other,  and  parted  forever.  The  whale-boat 
was  saved  only  by  the  use  of  a  drag,  and  incessant  bailing. 
The  second  cutter  commanded  by  Lieut.  Chipp,  was  doubt- 
less swamped  by  the  sea,  as  she  has  never  been  heard  from. 
She  was  a  bad  sea-boat,  and  her  dimensions  were  much 
less  than  either  of  the  other  boats,  being  but  i6i 
feet  in  length,  depth  2i  feet;  while  the  first  cutter  was 
20J  feet,  and  the  whale-boat  25^  feet  long;  depth  of  each 
two  feet  two  inches.  The  tirst  cutter  was  fitted  with 
mast  and  one  shifting  lug-sail,  pulled  six  oars,  and 
had  the  greatest  carrying  capacity  of  the  three  boats  ;  all 
the  boats  were  clinker-built,,  copper-fastened,  inside 
lining. 

The  Whale-Boat,  Sept.  15,  entered  one  of  the  eastern 
mouths  of  the  Lena,  pushed  up  the  river,  and  on  the  26th 
reached  a  small  village,  where  a  Siberian  exile,  Kopelloff, 


oeo 


inSOQBBSS   ON  ARCTIC   DISCOVERT 


;;it; 


L  i 


taught  Lieut.  Danenhower  Russian  phrases.  Oct.  17th, 
Danenhower,  with  a  dog-team,  explored  the  coasts  without 
success,  for  the  missing  boats.  On  the  29th  he  received 
word  that  two  of  DeLong's  men,  Nindemann  and  Naros, 
were  met  on  their  way  to  Bolun,  in  a  -starving  condition. 
Food  was  sent  to  them  by  Engineer  Melville.  Danen- 
hower proceeded  by  deer-sled  600  miles  to  Verchoiansk, 
and  with  oxen,  horses  and  deer  640  miles  further  to 
Yakutsk,  which  he  reached  Dec.  17,  1881  ;  thence  he 
went  forward  in  accordance  with  a  dispatch  to  Melville 
from  the  Secretiry  of  the  Navy,  to  Irkoutsk,  where  he  was 
assured  by  a  Russian  oculist  that  his  eye  would  soon  be 
well.  Not  being  permitted  on  account  of  his  health,  to 
search  for  the  survivors  of  the  "Jeannette,"  he  turned 
over  this  duty,  with  all  the  documents,  to  Lieut.  G.  B. 
Harber  and  Master  W.  H.  Schuetze,  who  had  been  sent 
out  by  the  Navy  Department  for  this  purpose.  He  then 
travelled  to  St.  Petersburg,  arriving  there  May  i,  1882. 
He  reached  New  York  City  June  i,  accompanied  by  Ray- 
mond L.  Newcomb,  naturalist  and  taxidermist ;  John 
Cole,  boatswain,  (whose  mind  was  affected,  and  who  is 
still  in  the  government  Insane  Asylum  at  Washington),  and 
the  three  Chinese  sailors,  Charles  Tong  Sing,  Ah  Sing, 
and  Ah  Sam,  who  were  of  the  "  Jeannette  "  party.  The 
rest  of  the  whale-boat's  crew  had  arrived  Feb.  12,  1882. 

DeLong's  Boat,  as  heretofore  stated,  lost  sight  of  the 
whale-boat  and  second  cutter,  Sept.  12,  188 1, — the  first 
being  ahead  and  the  latter  behind  it.  His  journals  thus 
record  his  rough  experience  in  the  gale  and  on  shore  : — 

*•  Step  of  mast  carried  away;  lowered  sail  and  rode  to  sea  anchor  ; 
very  heavy  sea,  and  hard  squalls.     Barometer  falling  rapidly. 

'*  13th,  very  heavy  northeast  ga  ...  At  8  P.  M.  set  a  jury  sail 
made  of  a  sled  cover,  and  kept  the  boat  away  to  the  westward  before 
the  sea  ; — 17th  grounded  at  a  few  hundred  yards,  landed  at  8  P.  M,  : 
dark  and  snowstorm,  but  Collins  had  a  good  fire  going  ;  at  10.20  haa 
landed  everything,  except  boat  oars,  mast,  sled,  and  alcohol  break- 
erJs  ; — 18th,  had  fires  going  all  the  time  to  dry  our  clothes;  we  must 
look  our  situation  in  the  face,  nnd  prepare  to  walk  to  a  settlement 

*•  September  19,  ordered  preparations  to  be  made  for  leaving  this 
place,  and  as  a  beginning,  all  sleeping  bags  are  to  be  left  behind.  Left 
in  Mistrument  box  a  record,  portions  of  which  read  thus : 

Lena  Delta,  Sept.  19.  1881. — Landed  here  on  the  evening  of  the  17th, 
•lid  will  proceed  this  afternoon  to  try  and  reach,  with  God's  help,  a 


•>B10N0',  tAST  /otTHKAI,. 


WttJement,  the  near*»Bf  ^r    i  •  .  *  ^-^ 

S'g:;^--if  ^^^  Sol- 1  ^]j-7  ^^h"&^^ 

I^oads^  too  Ve;v^     l^^  ""^"^  ^^ead,  and  at  4  S'?  of  getting  through' 
Knckson,  J}„yd  ^~    '^"   "'u^   "1^-Lee  gro,^  .^,"I'P^;I  «'«!  camped 
^{»ch  of  no  u2  'Road  Ud'  ^''^.'^'"'rS-     '^^Tl'^.l  'o  ^L^r"l"-.'»'nfeS 
'''Ily  up  to  the  kiiPP?    !  iJreaking  throu.di  f^ w.      ^^*^'-*"  """"tcs 

«'er  to^  deposit^rogWs''  '"^'-'-"-'n  3  v       aS '/??t'*'"- 
feeling  in  his  tof-Q   o    1         "  *     ^' ^ery  one  of  n/Jl  ^'  ^"''  ^^res- 

terribfe  week  in  fh       ''  "/'"«  "^  "«  eve     h  flf  w  '  '""  /°  ^^^^  Josf  all 

we  are  at  tiie  end  »/         ^  "'^^  '^  '""•'^t  suffice  f  7  f  .  '    y^''  ""'"  '^st  can 

-     the  forty)  unless  Pr„vn''  '""^>«io".s  and  n^st  Zt  Z  fy^}^'^^  then 

dog  is  eaten--.??  f '^^'^'dence  sends  sonietC  in        *"  ''"fi    'he  Jast  of 

reindeer.'  and  i„  Te  L^  ^'i'^'  ^'?^  ^'^^^'-J^   sa?d   '  C  ul^-    '  ^^V^  ''""'^k 

«e„,hs  of  a  pt^toi  ^'L'i    5-°S   hall  .IJ?'  b  IkfcVT '  T"-' 
bring  nir  a  fiixi  k,.„i     J  Pemmican,  .  .  Atn^r  _     ^'^'''*'— -'our-four- 

tenth^daVfromS-,^,r.'^^^^^^  4 n^li^T^o  T ^'^ '."  ^^"'P- 

gone  conclusionlhati  !,''"'',•  ^'"'^'kson  isTio  be^t.V  ^^  ■"^'•ed  and 
and  one  of  his  eft  TuTT^  ^°"^  ^""'-  of  t  e  to^fof?"^  "•  ''^  «  ^ore- 
after  breakfast.  forlunateL''"';?''  ^^^'"'"enced  sSL^^"  '■'fi'^'  f«ot, 
Partofthefoo  L  S  -^/y'thoutpaintothe  nS  f^^V^^^  ^""'^ 
cutting  awav  nf  L.         "  ""'  't  W'-is  a    henrf  rL  '  ^  "^"t,  for  the  forward 

fiound  and  "Lie  ffvf.  "^  ^^'^'^  "f  a  man   S"t^  u^'^'^i  ^°  »"«.  the 
cutting  of  poSrESksonw"^'-     ^^toTe?  ,"" 'h^  .^''^P^d   'o  return 
And  where  are  we  ?    5  Ih"  .  '^'  'his  mornin;   «nJ„      '""^  ''^sumed  the 
'ast.     My  chart^s  c-      ?'"^' ^'   the   hcjrinnL      -^  ""^  too  left   now 
areproceedinJfn     '"'"P'y   "^^less      J  Sf  1  '  ^  ""^'he   Lena   River  at 
the  Lena  Rive?  '  n  ?T  '^  *^^  ^^^^'t  s  d/  o  ^S"^  ■»  'he  hut  that  4 
ordered  him  Wju,?"^"H^';3.  'Nothing  remillK^.r^f  "^ttlement  on 
stew  made  of  suih     ^"'' ^'''^ssed  by  !v^j-son  .  !i^  ^''^  ^"^-  ^  therefore 
««ept  the  doctor    Pr'""''^""'^'   "ot  £'«'?"/  soon  after  a  kind  of 
'^ess.  . .  Er.Vtl  ^""^  "lyself  eagerlv  xvirt?  \!^^'  ""^  ^hich  everybodv 
^l-  -ccompan^^^;;;°on  became^IeU.ro  .T'^,';;,  %;:',^-  a  nauseaHn^ 
the  night  entlZl  °  ^''^  ^^i-etchcdness   of  1  ^''"''"K  ^as  a  horri- 


582 


PBOGRESS   OP   ARCTIC   DISCOVERY. 


If 


\ 


8.4^  A.  M.,our  messm.Trte  Erickson  departed  this  life.  October  6,  as 
to  burying  him  1  cannot  dig  a  grave,  the  ground  is  frozen,  and  I  have 
nothing  to  dig  with.  There  is  nothing  to  do  but  to  bury  him  in  the 
river.  Sewed  him  up  in  the  flaps  of  the  tent,  and  covered  him  with 
my  flag.  Got  tea  ready,  and  with  one-half  ounce  of  alcohol,  we  will  try 
to  make  out  to  bury  him.  Bat  we  are  all  so  weak  that  I  do  nut  see 
how  we  are  going  to  move. 

**  At  12.40  P.  M.  read  the  burial  service,  and  carried  our  departed 
ship-mate's  body  down  to  the  river,  where,  a  hole  having  been  cut  in 
the 'ice,  he  was  buried  ;  three  volleys  from  our  two  Remingtons  being 
fired  over  him  as  a  funeral  honor.  A  board  was  prepared  with  this 
cut  on  it: — "  In  Memory,  H.  H.  Erickson,  Oct,  6th,  18S1.  U.  S.  S. 
Jeannette."  And  this  will  be  stuck  in  the  river  bank  abreast  his 
grave.  His  clothing  was  divided  up  among  his  messmates.  Iverson 
has  his  Bible  and  a  lock  of  his  hair,  Kaock  has  a  lock  of  his  hair.  . . 
Supper,  5  P.  M.,  half  a  pound  of  dog  meat  and  tea.  October  9,  sent 
Nindeman  and  Naros  ahead  for  relief  ;  they  carry  their  blankets,  one 
lifle,  forty  pounds  of  ammunition,  two  ounces  of  alcohol.  .  .  Under 
way  again  at  10.30,  had  for  dinner  one  ounce  of  alcohol,  Alexai  shot 
three  ptarmigan.     Find  canoe,   lay  our   heads  on  it  and  go  to  sleep. 

"  loth,  eat  deer-skin  scraps.  .  .  Ahead  again  till  eleven.  At  three 
halted,  used  up.  Crawled  into  a  hole  on  the  bank.  Nothing  for 
supper,  except  a  spoonful  of  glycerine.  17th,  Alexai  died,  covered 
him  with  ensign,  and  lair'  him  in  a  crib.  2Tst,  cnc  hundred  and  thirty 
first  day,  Kaock  was  fc/und  dead  at  midnight.  Too  vve?.k  to  carry  the 
bodies  out  on  the  ice;  the  doctor,  Collins,  and  I  carried  them  around 
the  corner  out  of  sight.  Then  my  eye  closed  up.  Sunday,  October 
23,  one  hundred  and  thirty-third  day,  everybody  pretty  weak — slept  or 
rested  all  day,  then  managed  to  get  enough  wood  in  before  mirk. 
Read  part  of  divine  service,  suffering  in  our  feet.    No  foot  gear. 

"Monday,  Oct.  24.,  130th  day.     A  hard  night. 

*•  Tuesday,  Oct.  25,  135th  day.     No  record. 

"  Wednesday,  Oct.  26   136th  day.     No  record. 

"Thursday.  Oct.  27,  137th  day.  Iverson  broke  down. 

*'  Friday,  Oct,  28,  138th  day.     Iverson  died  during  early  morning. 

"  Saturclay,  Oct.  29,  139th  day.    Dressier  died  during  the  night. 

"  Sunday,  Oct.  30,  140th  day^  Boyd  and  Gortz  died  during  the 
night,  Mr.  Collins  dying." 

Here  DeLong's  journal  ends — the  last  words  he  ever 
wrote.  His  death,  no  doubt,  came  next — then  the  sur- 
geon's (Dr.  James  M.  Ambler),  and  the  last  of  the  crew, 
Niudemann  and  Naros  only  being  saved.  Oct.  9th,  they 
had  been  dUpatched  by  DeLong  to  Kumack-surka,  sup- 
posed to  be  12  miles  off — for  assistance.  On  their  way 
south,  they  killed  one  ptarmigan,  and  foimd  a  few  fish — 
otherwise  their  food  consisted  of  boot  soles  soaked  and 
burnt  to  a  crust,  parts  of  their  seal-skin  pants  so  treated, 
willow  tea,  and  burned  deer  bones  found  in  a  hut.    Dys- 


DELONG    AND    PAUTY   FOUND    DEAD. 


633 


entery  weakened  ihem  daily.  On  Oct.  22d,  they  vveredis* 
covered  by  the  natives,  who  fed  them,  and  drove  on  deer 
sleds  to  Bulun,  the  most  northern  Russian  settlement  in 
Siberia,  where  they  arrived  with  the  sick  and  exhausted 
seamen  Oct.  29.  Here  Naros  wrote  to  the  American  min- 
ister at  St.  Petersburg,  but  his  letter  was  sent  to  Engineer 
Melville,  who  joined  them  Nov.  ^d,  got  all  the  details  of 
DeLong's  route,  suffering  and  present  location,  and  ar« 
ranged  for  immediate  relief  to  the  hoped-for  survivors  of 
the  two  boats.  To  the  telegram  which  he  sent  to  the  Sec- 
retary of  the  Navy  at  Washington,  which  had  to  go  the 
long  journey  to  Irkutsk  by  couriers,  and  did  not  reach 
Secretary  Hunt  until  Dec.  22,  he  received  this  reply: — 
"  Omit  no  efforts,  spare  no  expense  in  securing  safety  of 
men  in  second  cutter.  Let  the  sick  and  the  frozen  of 
those  already  rescued  have  every  attention,  and  as  soon 
as  practicable  have  them  transferred  to  milder  climate. 
Department  will  supply  necessary  funds."  Melville  mean- 
time had  searched  the  northern  extremity  of  Lena  Delta. 
He  found  DeLong.'s  cache,  marked  by  a  tall  flag-staflf,  on 
the  shores  of  the  ocean,  and  secured  his  log  books,  chro- 
nometers and  other  articles.  He  continued  his  search  for 
three  weeks  without  result,  and  then  went  to  Yakutsk 
Dec.  30,  to  arrange  for  a  more  extended  exploration. 
March  16,  with  Nindemann,  and  Bartlett,  a  fireman  of  the 
"  Jeannelte,"  he  found  the  hut  where,  before  crossing  the 
river,  DeLong  and  his  comrades  had  slept ;  on  the  23d  he 
found  the  ten  men,  dead  !  Four  poles  and  a  Remington 
rifle  that  projected  above  the  snow,  revealed  their  resting 
place.  The  bodies  of  DeLong,  Surgeon  Ambler,  and  Ah 
Sam,  the  Chinese  ^  jk,  the  last  of  the  party  to  die,  were 
found  a  few  hundred  y-ards  away.  DeLong's  sad  note- 
book, already  quoted  entire,  was  by  his  side  ;  his  volu- 
minous records  and  books  were  under  the  poles.  The 
bodies  were  frozen  to  the  ground  under  the  snow  bank, 
and  were  pried  loose,  borne  over  the  mountain  to  a  high 
bluff,  Tjlaced  side  by  side  in  a  box,  and  buried.  A  stone 
pyramid  and  cross  22  feet  high,  cross-arm  12  feet  in 
length,  was  placed  over  the  graves,  and  on  it  were  re- 
corded ti  •  names  of  the  twelve  dead  men  of  the  first  cut- 
ter.    Alcxai's  body  was  not  found  ;  Erickson  had  been 


684 


<t«66Bfi6S  C*  ABOTIC  tttSCOVfittlr,' 


y ' ' 


buried  by  DeLong,  as  his  journal  states,  in  the  river.  Mr. 
Newcdmb,  speaking  in  his  narrative  of  the  torhb  and 
tnonumeht,  says  :  "  Standing  as  they  do  on  an  eminence, 
they  are  conspicuous  objects,  and  may  be  seen  at  a  dis- 
tance of  '20  hiileis." 

Lieut.  Melville  and  his  party  examined  the  sea-coast  of 
the  Delta,  the  north  coast  of  Siberia,  and  the  mouths  of 
the  rivers-^but  no  trace  of  Lieut.  Chipp's  cutter  or  party 
could  be  found.  He  then  left  Bartlett  with  Lieut.  Harber 
with  a  chart  of  his  search,  and  returned  by  way  of  Ir- 
kutsk, with  Nindemann  and  Naros,  to  New  York,  Sept. 
13,  188^. 

Lieut  Harber  and  Mr.  Schuetze  searched  the  Delta 
thoroughly,  but  no  trace  of  Lieut.  Chipp  was  discovered. 
On  June  23,  1S83,  Lieut.  Harber  in  a  letter  to  Secretary 
Chandler,  described  his  rembval  of  the  remains  of  Lieut. 
DtfLong  and  party.  He  travelled  from  Yakutsk  Jan.  26th, 
with  Mr.  Schuetze,  a  Cossack  interpreter,  and  some  natives 
with  reindeer  and  dogs,  2667  miles,  to  Mat-Vai,  near  the 
tomb,  where  he  arrived  March  2.  He  removed  the  bodies, 
rebuilt  the  tomh^  and  returning  to  Mat-Vai,  made  arrange- 
Riertts  with  the  government  physician  for  preserving  the 
bodies  in  their  frozen  condition  in  temporary  caskets  lined 
with  sheets  of  pure  tin.  At  Orenburg  the  bodies  were  to 
be  transferred  to  the  metallic  coffins  sent  from  the  United 
States  for  their  long  journey  home.  March  29,  after  a 
severe  journey,  the  thermometer  falling  on  one  day  to 
**-69  °  F.,  Yakutsk  was  reached  with  the  bodies.  Dec.  21, 
1883,  the  remains  were  carried  to  Irkutsk  and  borne  in 
procession  through  the  streets,  escorted  by  a  body  of 
troops.  In  Feb.,  1884,  they  were  brought  to  New  York 
City,  and  honored  with  suitable  obsequies. 

The  Bulletin  de  la  SodSie,  1883,  says  of  this  disastrous 
expedition  :—"  Honor  to  DeLong,  who  always  knew  how 
to"exercise  the  fullest  qualities  of  courage  and  command  ! 
tt6*ior  Xo  all  his  comrades,  officers  and  sailors,  whose  spirit 
of  discipline  and  sacrifice  is  a  glory  to  the  navy  which 
counfs  siMfh  «ien  within  its  ranks." 

•Capt.  C.  L.  Hooker,  of  the  U.  S.  Revenue  Steamer 
"Oo^wtn "  who  was  sent  twice  (iS8o-'8i)  to  the  Arctic 
Oceianyi^by  ^Ihte  ^.^.  f  reasuny  Department,  to  search  for 


WCBBIiW  SMWCAJf's    :gs»BTZ. 


*7eannette,"  and    who    sa^e^ ''^^"^   ^ssTstance   to  the 

diaryofCaplain  Defnn,       "  "»''  "^'""Md  then,  oi^  """WW  »v<,| 

Perh«ps  lower,  takinl  off  k-  '  "'^'^^  '^^'t^  the  temiirih.«^  1*"'^  *«> 
tain.     Surely  when  tL  fi  ^'f  '*^'-skin  robe  to  c?v«  h?a  tJ    ^"^  "^ 

tides  and  currentt'and  !f  hS  r,'%'"°'''  '''*  a'S 

Land  named  for  Baron  Cngel  II'L'r''  ^^  ^""6*" 
the  Russian  explorer  «,!.„«.  A  °"  *  ^^SSian  AdmiJal^ 
ftonuhe  Siberian  I„ii"\^  first  learned  of  its  exSS 

tam  a  higl,  latitude  ^  that  ''„'"?■"?  PO«iWe  to  at 
whalers,  so  far  as  knm.,„  u      '   P*"  "^  'he  Arctic      w„ 

some  haye gone^'^i'Ssetonr:- h^^^'^l '°  '*°  '"4^ 
and  tlie  ice  between  Wr=„  f.  ^  '"S'>  ^s  lat.  73°  ,0'  nT 
•  forms  and  remain"  furtfe^i  }f'"^.  "^  ^oSt  ^BarZ' 
he  frozen  zones.  The  U  s^  i*^" '"  ^-X  other  part  0" 
'Rodgers"  were  able  to  wL  i"™"'  "Corwin"  a^' 
waters  of  Alaska  and  tdioin^n       ''f"'e«rous  shoals  in  th» 

^'-n^-  coast)  was  fi^ ea^Xd  fe^SS^-f^ 


586 


PROQRESS   OP   ARCTIC  DISCOVERT. 


re, 

'3, 


-.!!: 


1881,  by  Capt.  Hooper,  in  the  U.  S.  Revenue   Steamer 
"  Corwin,"     He  says  in  his  report : 

"  Good  observations  for  latitude  and  longitude,  confirmed  by  sub« 
sequent  bearings  and  observations  taken  on  the  east  coast,  showed 
the  land  on  the  American  llydrogrnphic  Chart  to  be  laid  down  IS 
miles  too  far  south,  although  the  general  trend  of  the  coast  is  very 
nearly  correct." 

"No  warm  current  from  Bering  Sea  enters  Behrinff 
Strait,"  says  Mr.  W,  H.  Dall  of  the  U.  S.  Coast  and 
Geodetic  Survey,  in  his  report  for  1880,  "with  the  excep- 
tion of  water  from  the  neighboring  rivers  or  the  adjacent 
sounds.  This  water  owes  its  heat  directly  to  the  local 
action  of  the  sun's  rays.  The  strait  is  incapable  of  carry- 
ing a  current  of  warm  water  of  sufficient  magnitude  to 
have  any  marl<ed  effect  on  the  condition  01  the  Polar 
Basin  just  north  of  it.  The  currents  through  the  strait 
are  cool  and  chiefly  tidal,  but  with  a  preponderating  ten- 
dency northward.  The  cuvents  in  the  Arctic,  north  of 
the  straits,  are  largely  dependent  on  the  winds  [this  was 
Lieut.  DeLong's  experience],  but  have  tendencies  in  cer- 
tain recognized  directions.  [DeLong  found  that  the 
drifts  of  the  packs  varied  constantly,  and  that  he  lost 
much  ground  some  days  in  travelling  on  the  ice].  Nothing 
in  our  knowledge  of  them  offers  any  hope  of  an  easier  pas- 
sage toward  the  Pole,  or  in  general,  northward  through 
their  agency.  Nothing  yet  revealed  in  the  investigation 
of  the  subject  in  the  least  tends  to  support  the  widely 
spread  but  unphilosophical  notion,  that  in  any  part  oi  the 
Polar  Sea  we  may  look  for  large  areas  free  from  ice." 
In  confirmation  of  these  views,  we  quote  the  later  authority 
of  Dr.  Thomas  Antisell,  in  the  Bulletin  of  the  American 
Geographical  Society,  No.  H,  1883.     He  says: 

In  May  and  June  a  broad  warm  current  is  found  flowing  around  the 
•hores  ot  the  Siu  Kiu  Islands  and  the  Bonin  Islands,  which  it  has 
already  reached  in  April,  producing  variable  winds  before  the  mon- 
soon is  established  in  full  influence.  This  current  is  felt  off  the  shores 
of  Japan  and  has  already  received  its  Japanese  title — the  Black  Sea 
or  current  (Kuro  Siwo) — from  the  remarkable  dark  color  which  its 
waters  exhibit  when  looking  over  the  ship's  side, — it  is  a  deep  blue 
black,  and  it  can  be  recognized  with  ease  as  soon  as  it  is  attempted  to 
bo  crossed.    Cradled  in  the  China  Sea,  the  offspring  of  the  equato« 


amer 


y  su"b« 
howed 
wn  18 
»  very 


bring 
;   and 
ixcep- 
jacent 
local 
carry- 
ide  to 
Polar 
strait 
ig  ten- 
Drth  of 
lis  was 
in  cer- 
at    the 
le  lost 
othing 
ler  pas- 
|hrough 
ligation 
widely 
of  the 
\^  ice." 
[thority 
lerican 


bund  the 

it  has 

t\e  mon- 

|e  shores 

ack  Sea 

Thich  its 

Up  blue 

ipted  to 

jequato* 


POLAR  CUIIRENTS — 1IKRINQ  STRAIT. 


687 


Hal  drift  and  its  warm  currents  among  the  Philippine  Islands,  when  it 

E asses  Formosa  in  early  sunjincr  it  is  already  a  powerful  current,  and 
cgins  to  send  off  lesser  currents  while  proceeding  on  its  northern 
route.  lUit  the  waning  power  of  the  Kuro  Siwo  is  indicated  by  the 
temperature  of  the  months  of  October,  November  and  December,  in 
which  it  disappears  between  latitude  30"  iind  40".  The  whole  ocean 
is  cooling  down,  and  the  influence  of  the  Asiatic  shores  as  refrig- 
erators is  apparent;  the  N.  E.  monsoon  has  set  in  and  continues 
during  the  first  three  months  of  the  new  year  to  'oring  down  the  sur- 
face of  the  Pacific  to  that  condition  of  equilibrium  in  which  no  warmth 
is  communicated  from  the  air  to  the  ocean.  The  S.  W.  monsoon  has 
ceased  to  blow,  and  the  Kuro  Siwo  as  a  current  disappears,  although 
its  warming  and  equalizing  diffusion  continues  in  a  mdd  way. ,  .  .The 
North  Pacitic  C)ccan  has,  practically  sjjeaking,  no  northern  outlet  ; 
Bering  Strait  is  but  a  <■«/  Jf  /<w,  and  is  na  real  gate  of  entranct  into 
Vie  Arctic  Oceam.^ 

Those  are  tne  probably  true  discoveries  of  observation, 
and  theoretical  reasoning  from  ascertained  facts,  which 
the  cruise  of  the  *'  Jeannette  "  and  consequently  of  the 
"  Corwin  "  and  "  Rodgers,"  has  added  to  the  sum  of 
human  knowledge.  If  DeLong  had  not  believed  that 
Bering  Sea  was  a  "  real  gate  of  entrance  to  the  Arctic 
Ocean,"  that  Wrangell  Land  was  a  continent,  and  the 
"  open  Polar  Sea  "  beyond,  he  would  not  have  ventured 
among  its  treacherous  ice-flo*^ — but  would  have  explored 
a  better  route. 

Bering  Strait. — A  description  of  this  entrance  to  the 
Arctic  Ocean  will  render  the  course  of  the  various  voy- 
ages more  clear  to  the  general  reader.  The  strait  was 
named  after  the  famous  navigator,  Vitus  Bering  (some- 
times called  Behring),  a  Dane,  born  in  1680,  who  entered 
the  newly  formed  navy  of  Peter  the  Great  in  1704,  and  in 
1728  was  appointed  to  conduct  an  expedition  in  the  Sea 
of  Kamtchatka.  Following  the  coast  northward  he 
rounded,  it  was  supposed,  the  northeast  point  of  Asia, 
nd  reached  the  strait  to  which  he  gave  his  name. — This 
^;rait  separates  Asia  from  America,  and  connects  the 
Pacific  with  the  Arctic  Ocean.  The  narrowest  part  is 
near  lat.  66°,  between  East  Cape  in  Asia  and  Cape  Prince 
of  Wales  in  America,  distant  from  each  other  in  a  direc- 
tion from  northwest  to  southeast,  nearly  50  miles.  The 
greatest  depth,  some  30  fathoms,  is  towards  the  middle, 
and  the  water  is  shallower  towards  the  American  coas^ 


II  ■ 


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698 


PH6011KSS  OF  AltCtrC  MSCOVHRT. 


than  the  Asiatic.  Bering  Sea  is  a  part  of  the  North 
Pacific  Ocean,  is  bounded  north  by  Bering  Strait,  east  by 
Alaska,  south  by  the  Aleutian  islands,  and  west  by  Kam- 
tchatka,  and  is  also  called  the  Sea  of  Kamtchatka. 
Bering  Island  is  the  most  westerly  of  the  Aleutian 
islands,  in  lat.  55°  22'  N.,  long.  166''  E.  It  has  an  area 
of  30  square  miles,  and  is  noteworthy  as  the  place  where 
Beting,  its  discoverer,  was  wrecked,  and  died  in  1741. 


RtLitP  Expeditions  of  the  U.  S.  Steamers  "  Corwin  *' 

AND   "RODGERS." 

'Iti  1879  the  American  whalers  returned  late  in  the 
season  without  two  of  their  number — the  "  Mount  Wollas- 
ton,"  under  Capt.  Nye,  of  New  Bedford,  Mass.,  and  the 
**" Vigilant,"  and  also  without  any  intelligence  of  the  "  Jean- 
nritte  " ;  the  former  was  last  seen  Oct.  loth,  and  the  latter, 
in  the  same  waters,  not  since  Aug.  1879.  On  May  15th, 
18S0,  Secretary  of  the  Treasury  Sherman,  sharing  in 
the  general  anxiety,  dispatched  the  Revenue  Steamer 
"  Corwin,"  Capt.  C.  L.  Hooper,  from  San  Francisco,  "  for 
the  enforcement  of  the  provisions  of  law  and  protection  of 
the  interests  of  the  U.  S.  Government  on  the  seal  islands 
arid 'the  seaotter  hunting  grounds  of  Alaska;  but,  addi- 
tionally, to  afford  assistance  to  the  two  whalers  '  Mount 
Wbllaston  "  and  "Vigilant,"  and  to  the  "  Jeannette,"  if  they 
should  possibly  be  fallen  in  with."  The  "  Corwin " 
reached  Ounalaska  in  June,  and  on  June  irth,  encoun- 
tered the  first  ice  packs  north  of  Kounivak  Island,  in  lat. 
6b*  N.;  long.  160**  W.  On  the  X7th,  escaping  from  the 
ftoes,  she  proceeded  to  Norton  Sound,  and  thence  to  St. 
Lawrence  Island,  where  the  inhabitants  had  been  deci- 
mated by  starvation.  In  some  villages  hundreds  were 
fbuiid  dead  and  unburied— in  two,  all  were  dead,  from 
the  itifetise  cold  and  lack  of  food.  On  June  s8th,  the 
Arictic  Ocean  was  entered  and  traversed  for  6,000  miles 
uiiUl  Oct.  2d ;  but  the  "  Corwin  "  could  obtain  no  news  of 
the  l6st  Whalers.  Capt.  Bauhiry,  of  the  "  Helen  Mar  "  of 
New  Bedford,  saw  them  last  40  miles  southeast  of  Herald 


GOiJ;«  8VAIC0  OF  XRB  AliCTXO. 


&89 


ft 


nn 

ioun- 
lat. 
the 

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leci- 

/ere 

Erom 

the 

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Island,  whence  they  were  driven  northwesterly  by  a  sud- 
den change  of  wind,  and  shut  in  by  heavy  masses  of  ice. 
East  of  Cape  Lisburne,  which  the  "  Corwin  **  sailed 
around  on  July  22d,  in  lat.  68**  50'  N.,  long.  164**  55'  W. 
coal  seams  were  visited.  Capt,  Hooper  says  :  "  The  veins 
of  coal  on  the  face  of  the  cliff  can  be  seen  distinctly  at 
the  distance  of  one  mile."  When  these  coal  beds  were 
formed,  heat  prevailed  in  the  Arctic  regions;  vegetation 
and  animal  life  flourished  !  Geologists  can  estimate  how 
many  thousand  years  ago  this  stupendous  fact  in  nature 
happened,  and  how  many  cycles  will  transpire  before  the 
same  climate  shall  again  transform  the  dreary  Qesolation 
which  reigns  in  the  frozen  zones.  In  a  previous  page  we 
have  given  on  this  subject,  the  calculations  of  Mr.  Croll, 
one  of  the  most  reliable  of  English  scientists. 

On  Sept.  nth,  the  "Corwin"  passed  southward  of 
Herald  Shoal,  and  followed  the  ice-pacic  southwest  until 
Hooper  saw  the  high  peaks  of  Wrangell  Land.  He  ex 
presses  DeLong's  opinion  that  it  "is  a  large  island,"  and 
adds,  "  possibly  of  a  chain  that  passes  through  the  Polar  re- 
gions to  Greenland." — Distances  are  deceptive,  land  w/r- 
a^gs  are  frequent  in  the  Polar  Seas.  On  this  point  we  quote 
the  words  of  Dr.  Rosse,  the  surgeon  of  the  "  Corwin  " : 

"  Not  the  least  curious  of  the  atmospheric  phenomena  are  the 
modifications  of  nervous  excitability  in  connection  with  the  percep- 
tion of  light — the  wonderful  optical  illusions  witnessed  from  time  to 
time  during  periods  of  extraordinary  and  unequal  retraction.  One 
day  in  July,  at  St.  Michael's,  I  saw  on  looking  northward  an  island 
high  up  in  the  air  and  inverted;  some  distant  peaks,  invisible  on  or- 
dinary occasions,  loomed  up,  and  at  one  time  the  very  shape  of  a  tower- 
topped  building  magnified,  and  suddenly  changing,  assumed  the  shape 
of  immense  factory  chimneys.  Again,  off  Purt  Clarence  was  witnessed 
the  optical  phenomenon  of  dancing  mountains  and  the  mirage  of  ice 
fifty  miles  away,  which  caused  our  experienced  ice  pilot  tjO  say  :  '  No 
use  to  go  in  here,  don't  you  see  the  ice  I ' 

Again,  the  mountains  of  Behring  Straits  have  so  betrayed  the  im^ 
agination  that  they  have  been  seen  to  assume  the  most  fantastical  and 
grotesque  shapes,  at  one  moment  that  of  a  mountain  not  unlike  Table 
Mountain,  off  the  Cape  of  Good  Hope ;  then  the  changing  diorama 
shows  the  shape  of  an  immense  anvil,  followed  by  the  likeness  of  an 
enormous  gun  mounted  en  barbette,  the  whole  standing  out  in  silhouette 
against  the  background,  while  looking  in  an  opposite  directipn  9,%  an?> 
other  time  a  whaling  vessel,  turned  bottom  upward,  aj^pe^u^d  in  tlu; 
sky.  On  another  occasion,  in  lat.  70^,  when  the  state  of  the  air  W49 
fovorable  to  extr^Qrdinary  rctfravtion,  a  white  f^  knvwdH  °-^  ^ 


590 


PROnUESS   OP   ARCTIC   DISOOVKRY. 


water  In  the  distant  horizon  was  taken  for  an  icchcrg,  or  more  corrcctlv 
a  floe-berg  ;  other  gulls  in  the  distance,  looming  up,  looked  for  all  the 
world  like  white  tents  on  a  beach,  while  others  resembled  men  with 
white  shirts  paddling  a  canoe." 

Captain  Hooper  says,  of  the  ice-fields  :— 

"The  ice  of  the  Arctic  Ocean  is  never  at  rest.  Even  in  the  coldest 
winters  it  is  liable  to  displacement  and  pressure  by  the  currents  of  the 
air  and  water.  The  expansions  anil  contractioi\s,  due  to  changes  in 
temperature,  also  assist  in  this  disturbance.  Owing  to  these  com- 
bined causes,  the  surface  of  the  ice  always  presents  a  rough,  uneven 
appearance. 

"  Along  fhe  edge  of  the  pack,  during  the  summer,  is  generally  found 
a  belt  of  drift-ice,  varying  in  width  according  to  tl»e  direction  of  the 
wind.  When  the  wind  blows  off  the  pack,  drift-ice  is  frequently 
found  fifteen  or  twenty  miles  from  the  main  body.  At  times  the  pack 
itself  opens  in  leads,  by  which  it  may  be  penetrated  for  several  miles. 
In  venturing  within  the  limits  of  tiie  pack,  however,  a  sharp  watch 
must  be  kept  on  the  movements  of  the  ice  and  a  reueat  made  al  the 
first  indication  oi  its  closing. 

"A  vessel  be.set  in  the  pack  is  as  helpless  as  if  she  was  as  far  in- 
land, while  there  is  imminent  d  umcr  of  being  crushed  at  any  moment. 

"  When  the  wind  blows  on  the  pack,  the  drift-ice  becomes  as  close 
as  the  pack  itself.  .  . 

"  The  "  barrier,"  on  that  part  of  the  ice  which  does  not  break  up, 
varies  slightly  in  position  from  year  to  year,  but  generally  may  be 
looked  for  near  Icy  Cape,  during  September.  It  extends  westerly 
as  far  as  Herald  Shoal,  where  it  t.'»kes  a  northwesterly  direction  to 
the  vicinity  of  Herald  Island.  Here  in  August  and  September,  a  lane  of 
open  water  is  generally  found  extending  to  the  northward.  This 
space  is  at  first  filled  with  broken  ice.  On  our  second  attempt  to 
reach  this  island,  we  steamed  up  this  lane  over  fiftv  miles,  with  the 
pack  in  sight  from  the  masthead  on  both  sides.  The  last  twenty  miles 
we  were  compelled  to  force  our  way  through  drift-ice." 

Captain  Hooper  thus  describes  the  Eskimo  Indians  of  the 
North  American  coast  : — 


'These  Innuits,  by  which  name  onlv  these  people  know  each  other, 
are  totally  unlike  the  Eskimos  described  in  books  of  travel,  being  tall 
and  muscular,  many  of  them  over  six  feet  in  hcipiht  :  one  at  Cape 
Kruzenstem  fully  six  feet  six  inches.  Their  remarkable  physical  ,.:,- 
velopment  seems  due  to  a  mixture  with  the  Indians  of  llie  interior, 
those  living  on  the  Yukon  and  Tennewah  Rivers  and  other  places, 
having  long  muscular  limbs  and  erect  figures,  showing  courage,  strength 
and  endurance.  Like  all  aborigines,  the  men  are  lazy  and  compel  the 
women  to  perform  all  the  manual  labor ;  Captain  Hooper  saw  two  women 
each  with  a  child  on  her  back,  drawing  a  thirtv-foot  net  for  salmon, 
while  the  men  stood  by  smoking,  without  offering  to  assist,  although 
It  was  evident  the  task  was  too  much  for  the  women. 


t 


NORTH  AMERIOAN  ESKIMOS. 


691 


)fthe 


"The  seal  tn:iv  be  called  their  main  stay;  the  flesh  and  oil  form 
the  chief  ai licit'  of  subsistence,  the  skin  furnishes  clothing,  tents,  aud 
buats  ;  cut  into  thongs,  it  is  used  for  ni:ikii\g  nets  fur  catching  fish  and 
birds.  The  oil  is  burned  in  lumps  which  light  and  warm  the  tupiks 
durinj;  the  long,  dark  winter  nights. 

"i'hey  hunt  seals  on  tlw  ice  in  the  spring  and  fall,  and  show 
themselves  marvels  of  patience,  lying  flat  on  the  ice  for  hours,  waiting 
for  a  seal  to  appear.  The  seal  is  very  shy,  and  seldom  moves  far 
from  the  hole  in  the  ice  which  they  keep  open,  by  scratching.  The 
hunter  approaches  cautiously,  by  crawling  over  the  ice,  his  botly 
nearly  prostrate,  raised  slightly  on  one  cmow.  He  has  a  piece  of 
bear-skin,  about  two  feet  long  and  a  foot  wide,  which  he  attaches  to 
his  leg  on  the  side  upon  which  he  rests;  this  enables  him  to  slide 
niore  easily  over  the  ice.  The  elbow  rests  upon  a  ring  of  grass.  He 
carries  a  stick,  to  which  is  attached  the  claw  of  some  animal  or  bird, 
to  use  in  imitating  the  scratching  of  the  seal  on  the  ice.  In  the  other 
hand  he  supports  his  rifle,  in  readiness  for  instant  use. 

'*  In  hunting  whales  the  natives  use  the  "  oomiak."  They  use 
spears,  with  heads  of  flint  or  walrus  ivory,  pointed  with  iron  ;  the 
pole  is  about  six  feet  long,  and  attached  to  it  by  a  line  of  seal-thongs 
IS  a  seal-skin  poke.  A  number  of  these  spears  being  thrown  into  the 
whale,  the  pokes  prevent  him  from  going  far  below  the  surface  and 
enable  the  hunters  to  track  him,  and  be  on  hand  to  kill  him  when  he 
comes  up  to  breathe.  The  carcass,  including  flesh  and  blubber,  is 
used  for  food,  aiHl  is  the  property  of  every  man,  woman  and  child  in 
the  settlement;  th'^^  bone  however  belongs  to  those  who  took  part  irt 
the  capture.  The  maxillary  bones  of  the  whale  are  cut  into  strips 
and  used  for  shoeing  the  runners  of  their  sleds,  and  for  this  purpose 
are  said  to  be  superior  to  iron  or  steel. 

"These  natives  are  nomadic  in  their  habits;  although  they  have 
winter-houses,  to  which  they  return  each  fall,  they  travel  all  summer. 
Their  manner  of  travelling  is  peculiar  to  themselves ;  they  use  the 
oomiak,  in  which  is  stowed  everything  belonging  to  the  entire  family, 
except  the  working-dogs.  This  oomiak  is  a  boat  built  of  walrus- 
hide  or  seal-skin  drawn  over  a  wooden-frame  about  thirty  feet  long, 
six  feet  wide,  and  two  and  a  half  feet  deej).  The  frame  is  fastened 
with  seal-skin  thongs  and  made  with  slip-joints,  to  allow  it  to  work  in 
a  sea-way.  They  are  flat-bottomed,  sharp  at  both  ends,  and  with  very 
little  shear.  The  men  use  paddies  and  the  women  oars;  they  carry  a 
square  sail.  When  they  wish  to  stop  for  a  night  or  day,  they  land, 
pitch  their  tents,  take  everything  out  of  the  oomiak,  and  turn  it  up  on 
the  beach,  where  they  are  quite  as  much  at  home  as  in  their  winter* 
houses;  men,  women,  children,  and  dogs  forming  a  happy,  noisy, 
dirty  family.  They  eat  when  they  feel  hungry,  which  seems  to  be 
nearly  all  the  time,  and  sleep  without  regard  to  time.  The  dogs  eat 
"when  they  can,  and  steal  everything  they  can  get  their  teeth  through.* 

**  The  native  language  differs  very  materally  in  different  localities. 
Our  interpreter  from  St.  Michael's  was  of  no  use  to  us  north  of  Kotzebue 
Sound,  and  even  there  it  was  difficult  for  him  to  understand  the  dia- 
lect. The  change  is  gradual.  At  each  settlement  from  Cape  Prince 
of  Wales  north  we  observed  a  slight  difference;  the  sound  of  words 
changed  so  as  to  be  almost  unrecognizable,  or  the  words  were  dropptd. 


k 


592 


PROGRESS  OF  ARCTIC  DISCOVERY. 


<ht1re1y  and  new  onc3  substituted,  until  almost  an  entire  change  had 
been  effected  in  the  language;  so  that  a  vocabulary  made  at  Cape 
Prince  of  Wales  would  be  almost  useless  at  Point  Hope,  and  entirely 
so  at  Icy  Cape  or  Point  Barrow.  A  few  substantives  alone  re- 
main the  same  all  along  the  coast. 

"  The  religious  belief  of  the  Innuit  is  of  a  crude,  indefinite  nature, 
to  the  effect  that  there  is  a  Power  which  rewards  good  Innuits  and 
punishes  bad  ones,  after  death,  by  sending  them  to  different  places. 
At  some  localities  they  told  us  that  the  good  went  to  a  place  above, 
while  at  others  it  was  thought  that  the  place  was  below.  They  have 
only  a  confused  idea  of  the  subject,  however,  and  seemed  anxious  to 
avoid  speaking  of  it  anymore  than  was  necessary.  Their  belief  evi- 
dently teaches  nothing  of  truthfulness,  honesty,  or  other  virtue,  or  that 
cleanliness  is  next  to  godliness. 

'Shamanism  '  is  followed  by  all  these  people,  and,  notwithstanding 
the  numerous  tricks  practised  upon  them,  they  seem  to  have  implict 
faith  in  it.  Even  the  '  shamans'  themselves  show  an  earnestness  in 
their  work  that  makes  us  wonder,  after  all,  ►f  there  is  not  some  virtue 
in  it.  Wrangell,  who  seems  to  have  given  the  subject  some  attention, 
says: 

"  The  *  shamans  *  have  been  represented  as  being  universally  mere 
knavish  deceivers,  and  no  doubt  this  is  true  of  many  of  them  who  go 
about  the  country  exhibiting  all  kinds  of  juggling  tricks  to  obtain  pres- 
ents ;  but  the  history  of  not  a  few  is,  T  believe,  very  different.  Cer- 
tain individuals  are  born  with  ardent  imaginations  and  excitable  nerves. 
Thev  grow  up  amid  a  general  belief  in  ghosts,  '  shamans,'  and  mysteri- 
ous powers  exercised  by  the  latter.  The  credulous  youth  is  strangely 
affected,  and  aspires  to  participate  in  these  supernatural  communica- 
tions and  powers,  but  no  one  can  teach  him  how  he  can  do  so.  Be 
retires,  therefore,  from  his  fellows  ;  his  imagination  is  powerfully 
wrought  upon  by  solitude,  by  the  contcuiplation  of  the  gloomy  aspeet 
of  surrounding  nature,  by  long  vigils  and  fasts,  and  by  the  use  of  nar- 
cotics and  stimulants,  until  he  becomes  persuaded  that  he,  too,  has 
seen  the  mysterious  apparitions  of  which  he  has  heard  from  his  boy- 
hood. He  is  then  received  as  a  'shaman,'  with  many  ceremonies 
performed  in  the  silence  and  darkness  of  the  night;  is  given  the 
magic  drum,  etc.  Still  all  his  actions  continue,  as  before,  to  be  the 
result  of  his  individual  character.  A  true  *  shaman,'  therefore,  is  not 
an  ordinary  deceiver,  but  rather  a  psychological  phenomenon,  by  no 
m^ans  unworthy  of  attention.  Always  after  seeing  them  operate, 
they  have  left  on  my  mind  a  long  continued  and  gloomy  impression; 
the  wild  look,  the  bloodshot  eye,  the  laboring  breast,  the  convulsive 
rttterance,  the  seen-ingly  involuntary  distortion  of  the  face  and  whole 
body,  the  streaming  hair,  the  hollow  sound  of  the  drum — all  conspired 
to  produce  the  effect;  and  I  can  well  conceive  that  these  should  appear 
to  the  ignorant  and  superstitious  savage  as  the  works  of  evil  spirits." 

"The  natives  are  inveterate  smokers.  I  believe  that 
every  man,  woman  and  child  in  Arctic-Alaska  smokes  a 
pipe.  They  manufacture  their  own  pipes  of  brass,  copper 
$nd  iron.    The  stem  is  of  wood,  about  ten  inches  long,  an4 


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EXPLOBATION  OP  HERALD  ISLAlH). 


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is  in  two  pieces  bound  together  with  strips  of  whalebone 
or  sinew.  The  bowls  are  often  made  of  two  or  three  kinds 
of  metal,  as  neatly  joined  as  could  be  done  by  any  jeweller. 
A  small  skin  bag,  hung  from  the  neck  holds  the  pipe,  and 
a  smaller  bag,  tobacco,  flint,  and  steel,  also  a  quantity  of 
wild  cotton  soaked  in  a  solution  of  gunpowder  which  is 
used  as  tinder.  ...  In  using  the  pipe  a  small  quantity  of 
hair  from  an  at-te-gheox  other  convenient  skin,  is  put  in  the 
bottom  of  the  bowl,  and  over  this  some  finely-cut  tobacco, 
the  bowl  holding  only  a  small  pinch.  .  .  The  native  swal- 
lows the  smoke,  which  he  retains  in  his  lungs  as  long  as 
possible — sometimes  until  he  falls  over  senseless ;  having 
the  appearance  of  a  person  under  the  influence  of  opium. 
This  state  lasts  but  a  few  minutes,  when  the  same  per- 
formance is  again  gone  through  with." 

The  "  Corwin  "  returned  to  San  Francisco,  Oct.  2,  1880. 
Capt.  Hooper  made  his  report  Nov.  i,  1880 — See  "Treas- 
ury Department,  No.  118 — from  which  the  above  interest- 
ing extracts  are  taken. 

April  21,  1881,  the  "Corwin"  was  dispatched  on  an- 
other cruise  to  pursue  inquiries  for  the  missing  ships  and 
crews.  She  sailed  from  San  Francisco,  May  4.  AtOuna- 
laska  or  Illialook,  in  the  Aleutian  Islands,  the  population 
(348  in  number)  were  nearly  all  sick  with  pleuro-pneu- 
monia,  and  were  treated  by  Surgeon  Irving  C.  Rosse,  of 
the  "  Corwin."  The  ship  arrived  at  St.  Paul's  May  23, 
and  sailed  thence  for  Cape  Thaddeus,  Siberia.  On  the 
29th  she  anchored  on  the  south  side  of  St.  Lawrence  Bay. 
Cape  Serdze  Kamen  was  the  next  point,  where  ice  as  high 
as  30  feet  extended  two  to  three  miles  from  shore.  Capt. 
Hooper  was  conducted  on  a  sled  to  Topkan,  the  native 
village  near  the  wintering  place  of  the  "  Vega  "  in  1878-9, 
lat.  69°  28',  long.  lys*"  10'  N.  "  In  one  of  the  houses," 
he  says,  "  we  were  shown  a  silver  fork  and  spoon  which 
had  been  presented  *^o  one  of  the  old  men  by  Professor 
Nordenskiold,  who  was  called  by  them  Capt.  *'  Enshall." 

Early  in  June,  s^rriving  near  Kolintchin  Island,  after 
escaping  dangerous  ice-packs,  a  sledge  party  was  sent 
along  the  Asiatic  coast  as  far  as  Cape  Waukeram.  Here 
relies  of  the  lost  jvhalers  were  obtained  from  the  natives, 
who  had  taken  them  from  the  wreck  of  the  '*  Vigilant,"  in 
the  G«bu>  of  wluch  vessel  they  found  four  corpses. 


594 


PROGRESS    OP   ARCTIC   DISCOVERT. 


H" 


I, 


m 


July  30,  the  "  Corwin  "  sighted  Herald  Islai.d,  and  suc- 
ceeded in  making  fast  to  ground  ice  about  a  cable's  length 
fronti  shore.  The  island  was  explored  for  the  first  time  in 
its  history  by  the  *'  ^orwin's  "  party.  Prof.  John  Muir,  of 
California,  scientist,  Mr.  Nelson,  botanist,  and  nearly  all 
the  officers  and  crew  landed  over  ice  full  of  hollows  and 
hummocks,  and  many  scrambled  a  thousand  feet  up  the 
precipitous  rocks  which,  at  the  slightest  touch,  often  came 
thundering  down.  "The entire  island  is  a  mass  of  gran- 
ite, with  the  exception  of  a  patch  of  metamorphic  slate 
near  the  center,  and  no  doubt  owes  its  existence,  with  so 
considerable  a  height,  to  the  superior  resistance  this  gran- 
ite offers  to  the  degrading  action  of  the  northern  ice-sheet, 
tracjes  of  which  are  plainly  shown.  Standing  as  it  does 
alone  on  the  Polar  Sea,  it  is  a  fine  glacial  monument. 
The  island  is  about  six  miles  long  by  two  wide ;  its  great- 
est height  as  shown  by  an  accurately  tested  barometer,  is 
1200  feet.  Several  species  of  plants  were  found  on  its 
summit,  and  birds  covered  the  cliffs.  Wrangell  Land  was 
seen,  its  eastern  coast  about  45  miles  distant.  The  mid- 
night sun  was  shining,  and  Prof.  Muir  says :  "  The  hour 
which  I  spent  alone  was  one  of  the  most  impressive  of  my 
life,  and  I  would  fain  have  watched  here  all  the  strange 
night." 

The  Albatross. — Mr.  E.  W.  Nelson,  the  botanist  and  naturalist  of  the 
"  Corwin,  "  thus  speaks  of  the  Albatross^  which  he  saw  in  the  North 
Pacific  : — 

"  The  '  gony, '  as  this  bird  is  called  on  the  North  Pacific,  is  an  abun- 
dant bird  over  this  entire  stretch  of  the  ocean.  It  takes  company 
with  a  vessel  on  its  leaving  San  Francisco,  and  follows  it  to  the  neigh- 
borhood of  the  Aleutian  IHands,  where  it  disappears  :  and,  as  we 
noted  in  October,  1S81,  soon  after  we  left  OunalasUa  these  bird§  ap- 
peared and  were  with  us  continually  in  pleasant  or  stormy  weather, 
until  we  approached  San  Francisco,  The  majority  seen  were  young, 
the  light-colored  birds  being  observed  only  at  intervals.  Nearly  all 
are  dark  smock  brown,  but  here  and  there  may  be  seen  one  with  a 
ring  of  white  feathers  around  the  rump  at  the  base  of  the  tail, 
and  all  have  a  marked  line  of  white  surrounding  the  V)ase  of  the  bill. 
Those  with  the  white  on  the  tail  almost  invariably  have  a  white  spot 
under  each  eye.  The  graceful  evolutions  of  these  birds  afford  one  of 
the  most  pleasing  sights  during  a  voyage  across  the  North  Pacific, 
and  they  are  a  source  of  continual  interest  during  the  otherwise  mon« 
otonous  passage." 

This  mysterious  bird  has  given  rise  among  sailors  to 


many  superstitious  Wend*:     r»       r  , 

Atfencth  did  cross  an  AIb,ltro„ 
.  Wrangell  Tor  KellpHA  T 

girdled  land,  u^  to  D  L^^.'-'ft^T'^'"  '"^^^--"^  ice^n- 

1881,  the  American  fla-  raised  ^.        *  Corvvin,"  Aug.  n 
?,"d    the    island   rechri^tened    ^/^   '°^""  ^'^  «vvners^hip " 
Corwm  anchored  in  a  de^f,      ^^^'^    Columbia."      1^' 
?"S-   ^77^    40'   W,   wi&!"^.fP^d  river,  lat.  7,07 
"  brown  and  naked  "  cTifff^        '^   ""'^^    ^^^n   from    the 
^east  40  miles.     "  We  S-^'IJ^'f^^^^  '^^  mountaTns  a? 
report,  ''  with  our  ghss's  "^S  '^'  ^^°^^  ^ine,"  slys  ,he 
the  land  north  and  sou  h   and  ,? ^'■^^^^'"g  and  le^av  ng 
dicular  hills  of  slate  from  100  to  .   '  f'^'^'^t'-  ^^^  Parpen? 
banks  of  the  river  bein^tl  e  onIv^°?  '"'.  ^^^^'  ^^^  sloping 
party  travellin^j  over  rL  ^  P^^^^  for  miles  where  f 

^^ncling."     Th?  vTo  e  vLrv  ""^"^^  ^^  ^^^^  ^o  S^c!  a 

•   S^H'""^"^'^^'P-tTp    fen   "^b^^^^      scannedlor 
Lapt.  Hooper  adds    "  Th;.  r'^''^^"'>     but  none  were  <;ppn 

'^"d  3een  ly  Capt  KeL     '^""''""l^'edly  the  pa?  of  the 

covered  and  landed  on  KiV;)"',  •«49,  «i>en  he  dfs! 

given  this  island  by  Cam   H         "",''■        '"'>«  new  name 

popular  appellation  M;,"::il'=;  ''"f  ""'  usurped  the 

explorer  s  origin,,  discoverv  "us     ^'"'^''  '"''  '^^  R"ss  an 

name     Nor  will  the  United  S^f/  k""""  ''  '<>  bear  his 

^an  Francisco  Oct.  2,    ,8s,      f    ^9°™'"  '  returned  to 


596 


PROGRESS  OP   ARCTIC  DISCOVERY. 


Cruise  of  the  U.  S.  Steamer  "  Rodgers." — Gongress 
passed  an  act  approved  by  President  Garfield,  March  3, 
1881,  appropriating  $175,000  "to  enable  the  Secretary  of 
the  N-avy  immediately  to  charter,  or  purchase,  equip  and 
supply  a  vessel  for  the  prosecution  of  a  search  for  the 
steamer  "  Jeannette,"  and  such  other  vessels  as  might  be 
found  to  need  assistance  during  said  cruise — provided  that 
the  vessel  be  wholly  manned  by  volunteers  from  the 
Navy."  Under  this  authority  the  Arctic  steam  whaler 
"  Mary  and  Helen,"  was  purchased  at  San  Francisco  for 
$100,000,  and  was  re-named  the  "Rodgers,"  after  the 
President  of  the  Naval  Board.  Lieut.  Berry  was  placed 
in  command ;  officers  and  crew,  all  volunteers,  numbered 
35.  The  ship  left  San  Francisco  June  16.  Two  native 
hunters  and  dog-drivers  were  hired  at  St.  Lawrence  Bay, 
and,  Aug.  20th,  Capt.  Berry  entered  the  dreadful  Arctic 
Ocean.  He  visited  Herald  Island,  and  next  anchored  in 
six  fathoms  on  the  southern  coast  of  Wrangell  Island,  half 
a  mile  from  land,  and  sent  search  parties  ashore.  The 
cairn  which  Surgeon  Ro&he  of  the  "  Corwin  "  had  left 
there  Aug.  12  th,  was  found.  Another  party  skirted  the 
coast,  and  Lieut.  Berry's  party  went  20  miles  inland  north- 
west  by  north  near  the  centre  of  the  island.  They  as- 
cended one  peak  2500  leet  high.  It  was  definitely  deter- 
mined that  this  land  is  an  island  70  miles  long  east  and 
west,  and  35  miles  broad,  including  the  sandy  beach.  It 
is  bounded  on  the  coast  line  by  hills,  and  the  whole  island 
is  made  up  of  precipitous  peaks  and  valleys.  The 
"  Rodgers  "  left  this  spot  Sept.  13,  and  steamed  north- 
ward into  an  impenetrable  pack  in  lat.  73'' 9'  N.,  long, 
174**  8'  West;  on  the  i8th  she  reached  lat.  73**  44'  N., 
long.  171**  48'  W.  in82  fathoms  of  water.  About  Sept.  27, 
on  Tiapka  Island,  coast  of  Siberia,  Berry  left  a  party  com 
sisting  of  Master  C.  F.  Putnam^  U.  S.  N.,  Surgeon  Jones, 
W.  H.  Gilder,  formerly  of  Lieut.  Schwatka's  expedition, 
two  seamen  and  a  native,  with  a  year's  supply,  and  instruc- 
tions to  search  the  coast  westward  for  the  lost  explorers 
and  whalers.  Oct.  15  the  "  Rodgers  "  stopped  at  St  Law- 
rence Bay  to  winter.  But  before  the  provisions  and  sup- 
plies were  transferred  to  the  shore,  the  "  Rodgers  "  was 
bunied  up.    The  fire  originated  in  the  hold,  it  was  thougjbV 


■HMMm 


B.   S;  BOGBBS   BTTBNT. 


597 


from  spontaneous  combustion  or  from  the  donkey  boiler. 
A  large  part  of  the  stores  were  consumed.  The  crew  es- 
caped to  the  shore  in  the  boats,  loaded  with  what  they 
could  sa\re  from  the  flames,  and  next  day  found  a  refuge 
in  the  hospitable  villages  of  the  natives.  Master  Putnam, 
who  had  been  left  in  charge  of  an  exploring  party  near 
Cape  Serdze,  heard  from  the  natives  of  the  destruction  of 
the  ship,  and  conducted  four  sledges  loaded  with  provis- 
ions for  the  relief  of  the  crew.  These  he  delivered  Jan. 
4,  i88a,  and  in  returning  to  his  camp,  driving  a  team  of 
nine  dogs,  he  lost  his  way  in  crossing  the  bay  and  was 
carried  out  to  sea  on  an  ice-floe.  Although  parties  were 
sent  out  to  search  for  him,  he  was  not  found ;  though  seen 
three  days  afterwards  on  the  floe,  the  boats  were  cut  by 
the  ice  in  attempting  to  reach  him.  Six  of  the  dogs  came 
ashore  Jan.  29,  without  harness. 

Lieut.  Berry  had  meantime  joined  the  search  party  at 
Cape  Serdze,  and  searched  the  coast  westward.  He 
overtook  Engineer  Melville's  search  party,  whose  course 
has  been  already  described,  and  learning  of  the  melan- 
choly end  of  DeLong,  he  went  to  Yakutsk,  and  thence  re- 
turned home.  The  crew  of  the  "  Rodgers  "  were  taken 
from  St.  Lawrence  Bay  by  the  whaling  barque  "  North 
Star,"  May  8,  and  on  her  way  to  Ounalaska  were  trans 
ferred  to  the  "  Corwin,"  and  landed  at  San  Francisco 
June  23,  1882.  Congress  appropriated  $3,000  to  "suit- 
ably reward  the  natives  "  who  housed,  fed,  repaired  the 
clothing,  and  befriended  the  officers  and  men  of  the 
"  Rodgers  "  after  their  vessel  was  burned. 

The  Royal  Geographical  Society,  London,  thus  com- 
mended the  work  of  Lieut.  Berry,  at  its  meeting  Dec.  12, 
188 1  : — "The  complete  exploration  of  Wrangell  Land  by 
the  officers  of  the  "  Rodgers  "  is  a  great  geographical 
achievement.  For  this  far-off  island,  so  long  heard  of  and 
at  last  sighted,  but  always  on  the  very  threshold  of  the 
unknown,  has  been  one  of  the  longed-for  goals  of  discov- 
ery ever  since  the  Tchuktchis  told  Baron  Wrangell  that  it 
could  be  seen  on  a  clear  day  from  Cape  Jakan.  They 
said  that  herds  of  deer  sometimes  came  from  thence 
across  the  ice;  and  their  traditions  related  how  the 
pnlciloR,  Omoki  an4  ot|>er  frib^s  had  w^nd^red  northward 


698 


PROGRESS  OP   ARCTIC  DTSCOVERT. 


over  the  ice  to  distant  lands,  so  that  there  was  a  halo  of 
romance  oyer  the  Siberian  *  Ultima  Thule,'  which  was 
heightened  'by  ihe  gallant  but  vain  efforts  of  Wrangell 
himself  to  reach  it  by  dog-sledges  in  1822  and  1823.  At 
length  it  was  actually  sighted  by  Cant.  Kellett  in  1849, 
when  he  discovered  Heralfl  Island  in  lat.  71"  12'  N.  The 
American  Capt.  Long  also  sighted  it  in  1867,  and  others 
have  done  so  since.  But  now  it  has  been  thoroughly  ex- 
plored ;  it  is  80  miles  from  the  nearest  point  on  the  Si- 
berian coast ;  Herald  Island  lies  30  miles  due  east.'' 


Cruise  of  U.  S.  Steamer  "  Alliance,"  June  i6-0ct. 


rm 


1  ft' 


II,  1881. 


After  the  "  Rodgers  "  was  sent  through  Bering  Strait, 
the  U.  S.  screw  steamer  "  AMiance,"  Capt.  Wadleigh,  was 
dispatche-d,  June  16,  to  cruise  for  the  lost  "Jeannette" 
between  Greenland,  Iceland,  and  the  coasts  of  Norway 
and  Spitzbergen  "  as  far  north  as  lat.  77°,  or  further." 
She  reached  Raykiavik,  where  the  parliament  of  Iceland 
was  sitting,  July  12.  July  24  she  anchored  in  the  harbor 
of  Hammerfest,  Norway.  Thence  she  sailed  to  Bel  Sound 
and  Green  Harbor,  Spitzbergen,  and  cruised  along  the 
edge  of  the  pack  to  lat.  80**  10'  N.  After  cruising  until 
Sept.  25,  deeming  it  unsafe  to  pass  over  to  the  east  coast 
of  Greenland,  Captain  W.  returned  to  New  York  Oct.  11, 
1881.  This  cruise  was  comparatively  without  result;  of 
course  nothing  was  heard  of  the  "  Jeannette,"  which  was 
about  10,000  miles  further  east  on  the  North  Asiatic  coast. 

Northeast  Passage. — Attempts  to  penetrate  Bering 
Strait  and  the  Polar  Sea,  and  to  reach  Eastern  Asia  by 
coasting  along  the  North  of  Europe  and  Asia,  date  back 
as  far  as  icc;3.  In  the  latter  year  Sir  Hugh  Willoughby 
sailed  fro'  England  in  three  ships,  fitted  out  under  the 
direction  the  celebrated  Sebastian  Cabot.  The  ships 
rounded  t*  ,  North  Cape,  where  one  was  driven  apart 
during  a  violent  storm,  and  subsequently  entered  the 
White  Sea,  then  unknown  to  Western  Europeans.  The 
Other  two  drifted  hither  and  thither  in  the  vast  waste  of 


■»»■ 


«(-«r 


1  *'  "'tjj" 


ABOUND   ASIA  AND  AMERICA. 


599 


of 


water  surrounding  the  pole,  till  the  navigators  sighted 
Nova  Zembla.  They  sailed  back  along  the  north  of  Rus- 
sia, and  took  up  their  winter  quarters  on  the  coast  of 
Russian  Lapland,  where  they  were  subsequently  found 
frozen  to  death.  None  of  the  expeditions  of  that  age, 
English  or  Dutch,  ever  succeeded  in  penetrating  farther 
than  the  east  coast  of  Nova  Zembla,  though  they  extended 
geographical  knowledge  by  making  accurate  surveys  of 
Northern  Europe  and  the  adjacent  islands  of  Spitzbergen, 
Nova  Zembla,  Waygatz,  &c.  In  1 594-1 596,  William 
Barentz,  Dutch  navigator,  made  three  expeditions,  in  the 
third  of  which  he  nearly  reached  Icy  Cape,  about  long. 
100*'  E.,  but  was  imprisoned  by  the  ice,  and  died  before 
the  winter  closed.  Henry  Hudson  also  made  two  memo- 
rable and  disastrous  expeditions  in  1 608-1 609.  All  the 
progress  made  so  far  proved  only  that  during  favorable 
seasons  a  passage  could  be  found  to  the  eastward.  The 
expeditions  both  overland  and  by  water,  undertaken  by 
the  Russian  government,  which  started  from  various 
points  on  the  north  and  east  coasts  of  Siberia,  were  more 
successful — especially  that  of  Capt.  Bering,  in  1741,  which 
sailed  from  Petropaulovski  to  the  east  cape,  and  those  of 
Shalaroff,  and  of  Billings.  The  expeditions  of  Baron 
Nordenskiold  in  1875-1876,  in  which  he  reached  the  east- 
ern shores  of  the  Gulf  of  Obi ;  and  his  cruise  in  the 
*'  Vega,"  in  1878-1879,  in  which  he  rounded  Cape  Chel- 
yuskin, and  sailed  in  September  from  the  mouths  of  the 
Lena  for  Bering's  Strait,  have  been  alluded  to  in  connection 
with  DeLong  and  Hooper's  expeditions.  To  him  belongs 
the  high  honor  of  having  completed  the  long-sought 
Northeast  passage  around  Asia.  This  was  a  notable 
achievement — a  triumph  over  the  adverse  forces  of  Nature 
which  foreshadows  further  conquests.  The  advantages 
which  it  was  expected  Commerce  would  derive  from  this 
discovery  are  still  intangible  ;  but  the  incident?^  benefit  to 
mankind  of  all  the  expeditions  has  been  great — both  of 
those  by  Bering  Strait  and  Baffin  Bay.  The  supposed  dis- 
covery of  the  Northwest  Passage  by  Sir  John  Franklin,  and 
its  indisputable  accomplishment  by  McClure,  in  1852, 
when  he  penetrated  from  Bering's  Strait  to  Baffin's  Bay — 
the  various  channels  of  communication  traversed  by  sub- 


600 


PBOGBBSS  OF  ABCTIO  DISCOVERT. 


sequent  explorers  between  Davis'  and  Bering  Strait,  such 
as  the  route  by  Hudson's  Bay,  Fox  Channel,  Fury  and 
Hecla  and  Beliot  Straits,  into  Franklin  Channel,  and 
thence  by  either  the  McClintock  or  the  Victoria  Channel, 
or  the  routes  by  Lancaster  Sound,  and  the  McClintock 
Channel,  Prince  Regent  Inlet,  or  Prince  of  Wales  Strait 
to  the  open  sea  north  of  Alaska,  though  useless  in  a  mer- 
cantile point  of  view — have  contributed  so  largely  to  the 
advancement  of  science  that  their  cost  has  been  well  re- 
paid. The  results  are  summarized  in  the  following  re- 
ports : — 

Lieutenant  N.  F.  Maury,  U.  S.  N.,  says : 

"  Voyages  of  discovery,  with  their  fascinations  and  their  charms 
have  led  many  a  noble  champion  both  into  the  torrid  and  frigid  zones ; 
and  notwithstanding  the  hardships,  sufferings  and  disasters  to  which 
Northern  paities  have  found  themselves  exposed,  seafaring  men,  as 
science  has  advanced,  have  lo(  ked  with  deeper  and  deeper  longings 
toward  the  mystic  circles  of  the  polar  regions.  There  icebergs  are 
framed  and  glaciers  launched.  There  the  tides  have  their  cradle,  the 
whales  their  nursery.  There  the  winds  complete  their  circuits  and  the 
currents  of  the  sea  their  rounds  in  the  wonderful  system  of  oceanic 
circulation.  There  the  Aurora  Borealis  is  lighted  up  and  the  trem- 
bling needle  brought  to  rest ;  and  there,  too,  in  the  mazes  of  that  mystic 
circle,  terrestrial  forces  of  occult  power  and  of  vast  influence  upon  the 
well  being  of  man  are  continually  at  play.  Within  the  Arctic  circle  is 
the  pole  of  the  winds  and  the  poles  of  the  cold,  the  pole  of  the  earth 
and  of  the  magnet.  It  is  a  circle  of  mysteries,  and  the  desire  to  enter 
it,  to  explore  its  untrodden  wastes  and  secret  chambers,  and  to  study 
its  physical  aspects,  has  grown  into  a  longing.  Noble  daring  has  made 
Arctic  ice  and  waters  classic  ground.  It  is  no  feverish  excitement  nor 
vain  ambition  that  leads  man  there.  It  is  a  higher  feeling,  a  holier 
motive — a  desire  to  look  into  the  works  of  creation,  to  comprehend 
the  economy  of  our  planet — and  to  grow  wiser  and  better  by  the 
knowledge. 

"  The  expeditions  which  have  been  sent  to  explore  unknown  seas 
have  contributed  largely  to  the  extent  of  human  knowledge,  and  they 
have  added  renown  to- nations,  and  lustre  to  diadems.  Navies  are  not 
all  for  war.  Peace  has  its  conquests,  Science  its  glories;  and  no  navy 
can  boast  of  brighter  chaplets  than  those  wbi^n  have  been  gathered  in 
the  fields  of  geographical  exploration  and  physical  research." 

The  Smithsonian  Report  of  1856,  says  : 

"  The  natural  history  results  (of  Lieut.  Rodgers'  Bering  Straits  Ex- 
pedition) were  of  great  magnitude,  and  embraced  many  new  and  rare 
species;  the  collections  made  by  the  naturalists,  Stimpson  and  Wright, 
lg«ing  made  first  uoder  Cgmmand/er  Sioggold  in  the  &QUtU  {'adiic  «w4 


RESULTS   SimMAltlZED. 


601 


:le 


China  Seas  and  afterward  largely  increased  by  those  secured  around 
Japan,  Kamtchatka,  in  the  straits,  and  on  the  Californian  coast.  The 
whole  of  a  very  rich  collection  of  invertebrates,  made  in  the  Arctic 
seas  was  dredged  from  the  '  Vincennes'  by  Capt.  Kodgers  himself. 

Admiral  Sherard  Osborn,  of  the  British  Navy,  said, 
1874 : 

"  Those  who  assert  that  our  labors  and  researches  have  merely  add- 
ed so  many  miles  of  unprofitable  coast  line  to  our  charts,  had  oetter 
compare  our  knowledge  of  Arctic  phenomena  to-day  with  the  theories 
enunciated  by  men  of  learning  and  repute  a  century  ago.  They  should 
confront  our  knowledge  of  1874  with  that  of  1800  upon  the  natural 
history,  meteorology,  climate,  and  winds  of  the  Arctic  regions.  They 
must  remember  it  was  there  we  obtained  the  clue,  still  unravelled,  to 
the  laws  of  those  mysterious  currents  which  flow  through  the  wastes 
of  the  ocean  like  two  mighty  rivers — the  Gulf  Stream  and  the  Ice 
Stream;  must  remember  that  it  was  there — in  Boothia — that  the  two 
Rosses  first  reached  the  Magnetic  Pole,  that  mysterious  point  round 
which  revolves  the  mariner's  compass  over  one  half  of  the  northern 
hemispherje;  and  let  the  world  say  whether  the  mass  of  observations 
collected  by  our  explorers  on  all  sides  of  that  Magnetic  Pole  have 
added  nothing  to  the  knowledge  of  the  laws  of  magnetic  declination 
and  dip.  .  .  We  have  discovered  how  Providence  has  peopled  the 
polar  regions  to  the  extreme  latitude  yet  reach«d,  with  the  animals  on 
which  they  subsist." 

Admiral  Beechey  said : 

"  Before  the  voyages  to  the  North  all  was  darkness  and  terror,  all 
beyond  the  North  Cape  a  blank ;  but,  since  then,  each  successive  voy- 
ge  has  swept  away  some  gloomy  superstition,  and  has  brought  to  lignt 
some  new  phenomenon  " 

Hon.  Judge  Daly,  President  of  the  American  Geo- 
graphical Society,  and  an  active  promoter  of  American 
Expeditions  to  the  Arctic,  says  : 

*'  Explorations  for  the  discovery  of  the  Northwest  Passage,  and  those 
sent  out  for  the  relief  of  Sir  John  Franklin  or  other  explorers,  resulted 
in  the  discovery  of  that  great  region  lying  within  the  Arctic  Circle 
between  60**  and  130°  west  longitude,  up  to  Cape  Perry,  and  71**  23' 
west  longitude  and  770  6'  north  latitude;  or,  from  Davis  Strait  to 
Cape  Bathurst;  embracing  Banks,  Prince  Albert,  and  Prince  Patrick's 
Lands,  Melville  Island  and  Sound,  McClintock's  Channel,  Bathurst 
Island,  Victoria,  Prince  of  Wales,  and  King  William  Land,  Boothia, 
and  Gulf  of  Boothia,  North  Somerset,  North  Devon,  Melville  Pen- 
insula, Cockburn  Island,  Grinnell,  Ellesmere,  and  Washington  Lands, 
Lancaster,  Ellipse,  and  Jones'  Sounds,  Wellington  Channel,  Kellet, 
^Wrangle  Land)  Barrow^  ^traits^  Franklin  Straits,  Peel,  Sir  James 


602 


PBOOBESS  OV  ARCTIC   DISCOVERY. 


1^ 


|M 


W 

it 


m 

«(;!: 


Ross,  and  the  Fury  and  Ilccla  Straits,  Regent's  Inlet,  and  the  dis* 
covery  in  1853,  by  Sir  James  Ross,  of  the  North  Magnetic  Pole." 

Capt  Sherard  Osborn,  in  1865,  addressing  the  Royal 
Geographical  Society,  London,  said : 

"In  the  year  1818  Baffin's  discoveries  on  the  one  hand  and  those  of 
Bering  upon  the  other,  with  dots  for  the  mouths  of  the  Mackenzie 
and  Iiearn  Rivers,  were  all  we  knew  of  the  strange  labyrinth  of  lands 
and  waters  now  accurately  delineated  upon  our  charts  of  the  Arctic 
Zone.  Sailors  and  travellers  in  thirty-six  years  have  accomplished  all 
this ;  not  always,  be  it  remembered,  in  well-stored  ships,  sailing  rapidly 
from  point  to  point,  but  for  the  most  part  by  patient  toiling  on  foot,  or 
coasting  in  open  boats  round  every  bay  and  fiord.  Sir  Leopold  Mc- 
Clintocic  tells  the  Royal  Dublin  Society  that  he  estimates  the  foot  ex.. 
plorations  accomplished  in  the  search  for  Franklin  alone  at  about  forty 
thousand  miles.  Yet  during  those  thirty-six  years  of  glorious  enter., 
prise  by  ship,  by  boat,  and  by  sledge.  England  only  fairly  lost  one 
expedition  and  one  hundred  and  twenty-eight  souls  out  of  forty-two 
successive  e'>^'>editions,  and  has  never  lost  a  sledge  party  out  of  about 
one  hundreu  that  have  toiled  within  the  Arctic  Circle.  •  Show  me 
upon  the  globe  an  equal  amount  of  geographical  discovery,  or  in 
history  of  arduous  achievement,  with  a  smaller  amount  of  human  sac., 
riiice,  and  then  I  will  concede  that  Arctic  Exploration  has  entailed 
more  than  its  due  amount  of  suffering." 

Mr.  Henry  Grinnel,  at  a  meeting  of  the  American  Geo» 
graphical  Society  of  New  York,  enumerated  the  commer* 
cial  results  as  follows : 

**i.  Sir  H.  Gilbert's  discovery  of  the  Cod  Fisheries  of  Newfound- 
land. 2.  From  Davis'  discoveries  the  great  whale  fisheries  of  the 
West.  3.  From  the  discoveries  of  Hudson  (who  also  discovered  and 
sailed  into  our  North  River,  which  now  bears  his  name,  while  on  an 
Arctic  voyage,)  Hudson's  Bay  and  the  operations  of  the  great  fur  com., 
panies.  4.  Sir  John  Ross ;  the  whale  fishery  of  the  North  and  North., 
west  of  Baffin's  Bay.  5.  Captain  Perry ;  whale  fishery  of  Lancaster 
Sound,  Barrow  Strait,  and  Prince  Regent  Inlet.  6.  Admiral  Beechy ; 
whale  fishery  of  Bering  Straits,  in  which  in  the  space  of  two  years,  the 
whaler  of  Nantucket  and  New  Bedford  obtained  cargoes  from  whicb 
it  is  said  they  have  realized  eight  millions  of  dollars." 

Add  to  this  the  trade  in  fur-seal  and  seal-otter  skins. 
The  U.  S.  revenue  from  the  seal-islands  of  Alaska  in  1873 
was  over  $307,000,  and  in  188^  it  had  increased  to  over 
$317,000  per  annum.  Wm.  H.  Seward,  Secretary  of  State, 
was  ridiculed  when  he  negotiated  with  Russia  for  the  pur- 
chase of  Alaska  by  the  United  States,  but  that  country  has 


^ 
t 


FEATURES  OP  THE  ANTARCTIC. 


603 


proved  to  be  a  good  investment,  and  will  develop  still  la^ 
ger  resources  and  commercial  importance  in  the  future. 


Antarctic  Expeditions. — Thb  "Terra  Australis 

Incognita." 


er 

y; 

lie 
:b 


Attempts  to  penetrate  to  the  South  Pole  have  not  been 
numerous,  and  are  comparatively  recent  in  date  and  unin- 
teresting in  details — but  the  knowledge  obtained,  especially 
by  the  American  expedition  under  Capt.  Wilkes',  is  valuable 
in  a  scientific  point  of  view. — On  the  maps  published 
before  1750,  the  Antarctic  regions  are  marked  "Terra  Aus- 
tralis Incognita."  Yet  Ptolemy,  and  other  ancient  geo- 
graphers, supposed  that  a  large  continent  extended  to  a 
great  distance  around  the  South  Pole. — Capt.  Cook  was 
the  first  navigator  known  to  have  crossed  the  Antarctic 
Circle.  In  his  second  voyage  he  reached  lat.  71°  10'  S. ;  he 
saw  no  land,  and  encountered  great  masses  of  ice.  Capt. 
William  Smith,  the  commander  of  a  merchant  vessel  driven 
far  to  the  South  in  trying  to  round  Cape  Horn,  in  18 19, 
sighted  the  South  Shetland  Islands.  In  the  same  year 
Bellinghausen,  a  Russian  navigator,  reached  lat.  70*^  S.,  and 
two  years  after  discovered  Alexander's  Land  and  Peter's 
Land.  In  182 1,  Howell,  an  Englishman,  discovered  Trin- 
ity Land  in  62^  S.,  and  Palmer,  an  American,  visited  a  land 
on  the  same  coast  westward,  and  named  it  Palmer  Land. 
In  1823,  Capt.  Weddell,  an  English  explorer,  sailed  south 
to  lat.  74*'  15'S.,  long.  34°  16'  W.,  and  saw  an  "open  sea" 
to  the  south,  but  no  land.  In  183 1,  Capt.  John  Biscoe 
discovered  Enderby  and  Graham's  lands,  a  southwestern 
extension  of  Palmer's  Land.  In  1839,  a  New  Zealand  seal- 
ing schooner  discovered  SabrinaLand.  In  1837-1838-1839, 
Dumont  D'Urville,  a  French  explorer,  penetrated  to  the 
Antarctic  Circle,  and  in  1840  discovered  a  line  of  coast 
lying  directly  south  from  Victoria  (Australia)  and  named 
it  Ad^He.  This  land  Capt.  Ross,  in  his  third-voyage,  proved 
to  be  small  islands.  In  1839,  Lieut.  Charles  Wilkes  was 
sent  out  by  the  United  States  government  with  four  vessels, 
and  in  Jan.  1840  discovered  a  coast  line  which  stretched 


it -I 


eo4 


PROGRESS   OF   ARCTIC   DISCOVBRY. 


S'    I 


<  1 


from  Ringgolds'  Knoll  on  the  east  to  Enderby  Land  on  the 
west,  and  was  distinguished  by  the  absence  of  currents  to 
disturb  the  ice  barrier,  and  by  a  much  less  precipitous  char- 
acter than  belongs  to  islands ;  hence  he  inferred  that  it 
was  continuous,  and  continental.  Jan.  i6,  1842,  Wilkes' 
officers  discovered  land  from  the  masthead  in  lat.  6i*'S., 
long.  i6o*'E.  and  followed  it  to  the  westward  ;  numerous 
islands  were  seen  to  the  north.  Capt.  (afterwards  Sir 
James)  Clarke  Ross  made  three  voyages,  1841-1843,  in  the 
"Erebus"  and  "Terror,"  and  discovered  Victoria  Land, 
having  its  coast  south  from  lat.  71''  to  lat.  78''  10' — the  high- 
est southern  latitude  ever  attained.  In  lat.  70''  41'  S.,  long. 
172'  30'  E.,  he  saw  mountains  9,000  to  12,000  feet  high,  of 
volcanic  origin  ;  also  an  active  crater  which  he  named  Mt. 
"Erebus,"  12,360 feet,  in  lat.  77°  32' S.,  long.  167  E.,  and  an 
extinct  one,  which  he  called  Mt.  Terror  10,880  feet  high. 
The  whole  line  of  coast  was  steep  and  rocky  and  the  land 
bare.  He  located  the  S.  Magnetic  Pole  in  lat.  75**  58'  S., 
long  154*'  8'  E.  His  discoveries  in  natural  history,  geology 
and  magnetism  were  the  most  important  ever  made  in  that 
region,  not  excepting  those  of  Lieut.  Wilkes.  The  latter 
are  best  related  in  Lieut,  (afterwards  Admiral)  Wilkes'  own 
words.  He  says  in  his  voluminous  Narrative  of  five  vol- 
umes: 


'!•? 


w,  f 


J*"  I 


!", 


i  1 

^ 

1 

M 

j 

m 

\L%\ 

1 

"Along  the  Antarctic  Continent  for  the  whole  distance  explored, 
which  is  upwards  of  1500  miles,  no  open  strait  is  found.  The  coast, 
where  the  ice  permitted  approach,  was  found  enveloped  with  a  per- 
pendicular barrier,  in  some  cases  unbroken,  for  fifty  miles.  If  there 
was  only  a  chain  of  islands,  the  outline  of  the  ice  would  undoubtedly 
be  of  another  form ;  and  it  is  scarcely  to  be  conceived  that  so  long  a 
chain  could  extend  so  nearly  in  the  same  parallel  of  latitude.  The 
land  has  none  of  the  abruptness  of  termination  that  the  islands  of 
high  southern  latitudes  exhibit;  and  I  am  satisfied  that  it  exists  in  one 
uninterrupted  line  of  coast  from  Ringgold's  Knoll,  in  the  east,  to  End- 
erby's  Land  in  the  west ;  that  the  coast  (at  long.  95°  E.)  trends  to  the 
north,  and  this  will  account  for  the  icy  barrier  existing,  with  little  alter- 
nation, where  it  was  seo.i  by  Cook  in  1773.  The  vast  number  of  ice 
islands  conclusively  points  out  that  there  is  some  extensive  nucleus 
which  retains  them  in  their  position,  for  I  can  see  no  reason  why  the 
ice  should  not  be  disengaged  from  islands,  if  they  were  such,  as  hap- 
pens in  all  other  cases  in  like  latitudes.  The  formation  of  the  coast 
is  different  from  what  would  probably  be  found  near  islands,  sound- 
ings being  obtained  in  comparatively  shoal  water ;  and  the  color  of 
the  water  also  indicates  that  it  is  not  like  other  southern  lands,  abrupt 


FBATUnZS  OF  THW  ANTARCTia 


605 


a 
if 


te 

u 


tnd  pr«clpltoii«.  This  cause  is  sufficient  to  retain  the  huRP  masses  of 
ice  by  their  being  attacht-d  by  their  lower  surfaces  instead  of  tlieir  sides 
only. 

'*  At  all  the  important  points  of  the  cruise  an  observatory  was  estab- 
bshcd,  and  the  lonj^itiide  determined  by  moon-culminating  stars  in 
connection  with  similar  observations  at  Cambridge  (Mass,)  University, 
by  I'rofcssor  Hond,  and  at  Washington,  by  Lieutenant  (Jilliss.  The 
latitude  was  deduced  by  circummeridian  cmservations  of  the  sun  and 
stars;  meridian  distances  were  carried  throughout  the  route  by  chron- 
ometers from  and  to  well  established  points;  every  ojiportunity  was 
taken  to  determine  the  true  positions  of  islands,  reefs,  etc.,  by  obser- 
vations made  on  shore;  the  labors  in  hydrography  were  extensive;  in 
all  the  explorations,  the  constant  aim  was  to  obtain  useful  results;  par- 
ticular attention  was  paid  to  ascertain  whether  wood,  water,  and  what 
kind  of  refreshments  (if  any)  could  be  had;  anchorages  were  looked 
for  and  survtvev',  and  the  character  of  the  natives  and  the  kind  of 
treatment   hat  may  be  expected  from  them, 

"  In  magnetism  observations  were  made  at  fifty-seven  stations,  for 
dip  and  intensity,  and  at  every  point  where  the  ships  remained  a  suf- 
ficient time  for  diurnal  variation;  the  <iip  was  observed  at  sea  fre- 
quently, and  the  ship's  head  always  kept  north  and  south  whilst  the 
observations  were  making;  very  many  attempts  were  made  to  observe 
the  intensity  at  sea,  both  by  horizoiital  and  vertical  vibrations,  but 
Wilkes  was  never  able  to  satisfy  himself  with  the  results,  whatever 
others  may  have  done. 

"  For  the  determination  of  the  Southern  Magnetic  Pole,  he  had  var- 
iation observations  from  35*^  easterly  variation  to  59"  west,  between 
the  longitudes  of  97  °  and  165  "  east,  nearly  on  the  same  parallel  of 
latitude;  which  will  give  numerous  convergent  lines  through  that  space 
for  its  determination;  the  greatest  dip  was  87^30/  The  summit  of 
Monna  Loa,  thirteen  thousand  four  hundred  feet  above  the  level  of 
the  sea,  was  among  the  magnetic  stations;  the  pendulums  were  swung 
at  six  stations,  one  of  these  at  the  summit  of  Monna  lx)a  and  another 
at  its  foot;  full  meteorological  journals  were  kept  during  the  whole 
cruise — the  hours  of  observation,  3  and  9  P.  M.,  and  3  and  9  A.  M. ; 
the  temperature  at  the  masthead  taken  at  the  same  hours  ;  that  of  the 
air  and  water  every  hour  during  the  cruise,  at  sea  and  in  port;  when 
in  port  thermometers  were  sunk,  and  the  temperature  of  springs,  wells 
and  caves  taken  for  the  mean  temperature  of  the  climate. 

"  In  botany  about  ten  thousand  species  were  obtained,  and  from 
three  to  five  specimens  of  each,  all  brought  or  sent  home  in  a  dried 
state.  About  one  hundred  specimens  of  livitts^  flauts  were  brought 
home  incases;  among  them  several  East  India  fruits  and  other  plants 
from  that  region,  supposed  to  be  rarely  found  in  European  conser- 
vatories. • 

"In  the  Geological  and  Mineralogical  Departments  under  Mr.  Dana, 
much  industry  and  research  were  expended;  about  eleven  hundred 
species  of  Crustacea  were  figured;  among  them  many  new  forms  illus- 
trative of  general  anatomy  and  physiology.  In  a  word,  extensive 
collections  of  specimens  were  made  in  all  the  Departments  of  Natural 
History." 


i 


con 


rUOORKHM  OK  AUCTU?  DIMrOVKIlY. 


Tho  lato  I'rof.  llonry  of  l!»o  Snullisoniiin  Insllhilr,  Wash- 
ln};t<>n.  in  his  ivpori  lor  iSdy,  said  :  "  The  <  ollrclioiis  luadi^ 
by  the  Naval  iv\|u'(h(iou  (ol  ('apt.  Wilkt-s)  iS^^-iS^jt, 
ate  supposed  greatly  to  exeeed  those  ol  any  other  similar 
iliaraeter  fitted  out  by  any  j;ovenuuent.  They  oiiibraeo 
lull  series  ol  the  animals,  plants,  tniiierals,  ami  ethnoloj;ical 
material  ol  tl\e  ie«;ions  visited.  Implements  ol  stone  aiul 
ol  bone  aio  almost  every wheie  lound,  the  workinansiiip 
of  raees  that  //</.•  v /v/i;  .»•;//« v  ,//,\,;//»^',//vv/,  and  of  whieh  the 
use  would  bo  dillienlt  ol  deiermination,  were  not  similar 
implements,  as  to  Ivirm  atid  material,  found  in  actual  use 
at  the  present  day  amonj;  sav.ij;es.  particularly  iho.sc  inluib- 
itinjj  the  various  islands  of  the  I'aeitie  Oeean." 

The  Royal  (ieoj;raphieal  J:>oeiely,  ijoudon,  prosontod  a 

foil!  medal  to  Lieut.  Wilkes,  through  the  U.  S.  Minister, 
Ir.  Bancroft,  May  22,  i8.|S. 


FK/\ruRivs  ov  riiK  ANrAUcnc  Ocean. 


Lieut.  Maury,  in  liis  Physical  (icography  of  the  Sea 
ivS6i,  says  that  "the  area  of  the  .'\ntarclic  Circle  is  8,155, 
600  square  miles,  and  equal  in  extent  to  one-sixth  of  the 
land  surface  of  the  i;lobe. — This  untravelled  region  is  cir- 
cular in  shape,  the  circumference  of  which  does  not  meas- 
ure less  than  7,000  miles.  Its  edges  liave  been  penetrated 
here  and  there,  atui  land,  wherever  seen,  has  been  high 
and  rugged.  The  unexplored  area  there  is  (piite  ecjual  to 
that  of  our  entire  frigid  zone.  Navigators  on  the  voyage 
from  the  Cape  of  Ci{X>d  Mope  to  Melbourne,  and  from 
Melbourne  to  Cape  Horn,  scarcely  ever  venture,  except 
while  passing  Ci^pe  Horn,  to  gi>  on  the  Polar  side  of  SS^'S. 
The  fear  of  icebergs  deters  them.  These  may  be  seen 
there  drifting  up  toward  the  equator  in  large  numbers  and 
large  masses  all  the  year  round.  I  have  encou'U  jred  them 
myself  as  high  up  as  the  parallel  of  37** S.  Lieut.  Wilkes 
supposes  that  these  ice-islands  are  propelled  by  under- 
currents which,  at  times,  exist  to  and  from  the  Poles — thtt 
they  are  carri^  d  away  in  the  seasons  when  the  Polar  streams 
are  the  strongest,  and  are  borne  along  ty  them  at  the  ve» 


mONAf,  HTATfONH  IN  TriK  AliriTrff. 


mi 


loclty  whh  which  Ihcy  move.  I  Ic  saw  nf>  "  pack  ire" — (hat 
is,  piocoH  forced  one  upon  (he  ()(hor  l>y  (he  acdon  of  the 
sea  or  ( iinciMs." 

The;  i(:t;l)crj^s  in  the  An(arc(ic  are  much  larger  and  of  a 
<lrcp(rr  hhit;  than  (hoso  in  the;  Arctic  Ocean;  and  "(he 
coh)rin^  of  the  crevassiis, cavcH,  and  hollov.s  is  of  the  f//r/^- 
esf  hhie,  a  more  powc^rful  color  than  that  seen  ur\  the  ice  of 
the  Swiss  ^hiciers.  In  the  case  of  l»(;r;^'s  with  all  their  sides 
cx|)os(hI,  no  tiouht  a  greater  amount  of  h^^ht  is  ahh;  to  pen- 
etrate than  in  glaciers  where  the  light  usually  enters  only 
ut  the  top." 


I.IKUTF.NANT    A.    W.  ClfUCKI.Y,  U.    S.    A.,    AT    LaDV    FrANK- 
l,IN     lUv    (IklNNKI.I.    LaNO.    N.  I. at,  8i^     41'     W,,    I,<;NO. 

64^  30',  Junk,  1H81,  a  siaiion  asskink/*  10  hik  I/nit- 

Kl)    SlAIKS  IIV    TIIK    InIKKNATIONAI,  I'(>I,AI<  (COMMISSION 
FOU   MKTKOkOI.OCMCAI,    OltSKRVATIONS. —  UnIIKD    StAIRS 

Station    nkak     Point  IJarrow,   Alaska,  N.  71*'   18' 
i.AT.,  i.onc.  W.  156**  24.'  —  Rkmki'   kxi'koitk^ns. — Rks- 

CI;E  ok   JilK  SURVIVORS  OK  THE  (JkKKLY  i'ARTV. 

The  chief  of  the  U.  S.  Signal  Service  in  his  report  for 
1881,  says:  "Owing  to  the  very  mobile  nature  of  the  at- 
mosphere, the  changes  taking  |)lace  on  our  portion  of  the 
globe,  especially  in  the  Arctic  Zone,  quickly  affect  regions 
very  distant  therefrom.  The  study  of  the  weather  in  lui- 
rope  and  America  (Munot  be  successfully  prosecuted  with- 
out a  daily  map  of  the  whole  northern  hemisphere,  and  the 
great  blank  space  of  the  Arctic  region  upon  our  simulta- 
neous international  chart  has  long  been  a  subject  of  regret 
to  meteorologists.  The  general  ol)ject  (of  establishing 
stations  as  recommended  by  the  Official  International  Po- 
lar Commission,  for  the  Arctic  regions,)  is  to  accom[jlish,  by 
observations  made  i  1  concert  at  numerous  stations,  such 
additions  to  our  knowledge  as  cannot  be  acquired  by  iso- 
lated or  desultory  travelling  parties.  No  special  attempt 
will  be  made  at  geological  exploration,  and  neither  exped- 
dition  (Lieut.  Greely's  at  Lady  Franklin  Bay,  and  Lieut. 
P.  H.  Ray's  near  Point  Barrow,  Alaska,)  is  in  any  sense 
an  attempt  to  reach  the  North  Pole.     The  single  object  is  to 


COS 


TBOaKBSS  OF  AROTtO  DtflOOVKBY. 


t'lucidate  the  phenomena  of  the  weather  and  the  magnetio 
neoille,  as  ihcy  occur  in  America  and  Europe,  by  means  of 
obsorvalions  taken  in  the  region  where  the  most  remark* 
able  disturbances  seem  to  have  their  origin." 

The  idea  of  these  meteorological  observatories  in  th« 
frozen  seas  originated  in  Germany  about  the  year  ift76, 
and  was  put  forth  with  the  declai^ition  that  further  PoW 
Explorations  siiould  be  discouraged  except  for  purely  scien« 
tilic  purposes.  With  these  ends  in  view  the  stations  n»med 
above  were  established  under  an  act  of  Congress,  in  1881 ; 
and  similar  stations  were  established,  both  in  tbe  Arctic 
and  Antarctic,  by  England  and  Canada,  Germany,  Russia, 
Austria,  France,  Holland,  Finland,  Norw.iy  and  Sweden, 
and  Denmark.  "  If  we  add  to  all  these  stations  those  al- 
reaily  existing  in  Russia,  Siberia,  Alaska,  the  English  prov- 
inces of  the  North,  etc.,"  says  the  Bulletin  of  the  SocUti 
de  G(fo^f\iphie^  *'  it  will  be  seen  that  around  the  whole  Polar 
Circle  will  be  a  zone  of  observatories,  whose  observaMons 
will  form  the  study  of  the  globe  to  the  eightieth  degree  of 
north  latitude 

The  larger  number  of  the  civilized  nations  are  striving 
by  scientific  means  to  wrest  the  mysterious  secrets  of  the 
deep  from  their  hidden  recesses  of  tbe  North." 

Lieut.  A.  W.  Greely's  party  was  composed  of  Lieuts. 
F.  H.  Kislingbury  and  James  B.  Lockwood,  Dr.  Octave 
Pavy,  acting  assistant  surgeon  and  naturalist,  and  18 
sergeants,  corporals  and  privates  of  the  U.  S.  nrmy.  They 
sailed  in  the  U.  S.  steamer  *^  Proteus,"  and  reached 
Godhavn  July  i6th,  1881.  July  a4th,  the  steamer  entered 
the  harbor  of  Upernavik.  Jans  Edward,  a  native,  and 
Frederic  Sliarley  Christiansen,  a  half-breed,  were  here 
engaged.  The  vessel  left  Upernavik,  July  29th,  sailed 
northward  into  the  "Middle  P.issage,  "  and  July  31st, 
arrived,  in  a  dense  f  ^,  which  soon  lifted,  six  miles  south 
of  Cape  York,  in  36  hours  from  Upernavik,  the  quickest 
passage  ever  made.  No  ice-pack  was  encountered  in 
Baffin  Bay.  Two  parties  were  landed  at  the  Carey  islands, 
where  the  record  left  by  Capt.  Allen  Young  in  1375-76, 
was  obtained,  and  the  depot  of  provisions  left, by  Sir 
George  Nares  in  1875  were  found  in  good  condition.  Aug 
and,  at  Littleton  Island,  the  English  ixiaUs  twere  iQun4 


OBBKLY  KBLIKF  BXPEDITIOK. 


609 


after  seven  hours  search,  and  were  sent  back  to  be  re- 
turned to  England.  The  "  Polaris  "  winter  quarters  were 
visited,  and  the  transit  instrument  found.  Aug.  3r(l,  Cape 
Sabine  was  passcdi  Washington  land  sighted,  and  the  8olh 
parallel  crossed.  Aug.  4th,  Franklin  Sound  was  passed. 
At  Carl  Ritter  Bay,  225  bread  and  meat  rations  were 
cached  for  use  in  case  of  a  retreat  south  in  1883.  At  9 
P.  M.  the  vessel  was  stopped  by  ice,  in  the  extreme  south- 
east part  of  Lady  Franklin  Bay,  only  eight  miles  from 
destination.  Aug.  5th  Greely  land  at  Cape  Liuber.  Aug, 
6th  the  pack  moved,  and  by  Aug.  loth  the  ship  had  been 
forced  southward  hy  the  ice  about  45  miles.  Then  a 
southwest;  gale  set  in  and  started  the  pack  northward. 
Th<L  jbi  .  \^n  north  again  in  the  open  water,  and  entered 
Disc,  vt.y  Harbor,  where  Greely  decided  to  winter;  on 
the  13th  the  "  Proteus"  broke  her  way  through  two  miles 
of  heavy  ice,  being  her  seventh  day's  battle  with  the  gales 
and  frozen  sea,  and  anchored  Aug.  14th,  one  hundred 
yards  from  shore.  The  cargo  was  discharged  in  60  hours. 
140  tons  of  coal  were  landed  from  the  ship.  A  house  was 
built,  14  musk  oxen  killed,  and  rations  of  dried  birds  pro- 
cured, enough  meat  for  seven  months.  Lieut.  Greely 
expected  that  additional  supplies  would  be  sent  to  him  in 
1882,  and  if  not  so  visited,  his  instructions  were  "  to 
abandon  his  station  not  later  than  Sept.  i,  1883,  and  to 
retreat  southward  b/  boat,  following  closely  the  easi  coast 
9/  Grtnng^  Land  mIj  the  relieving  vessel  is  met  or  Little- 
ton Island  is  r^r 


9'  4 

-i 


i  i 


list, 
)uth 

^est 
in 

»ds, 

^76, 
Sir 


ExPEXXnONft  TO  CARRY  ASSISTANCE  TO  OrBBLY  IN   xSSs 

AND   1883. 

Leaving  Lieut.  Greely  and  his  party  in  their  icebound 
homCj  with  an  definite  hope  of  succor  from  the  outside 
world,  but  wii  <  verv  appliance  for  the  observation  of 
Kature^  and  of  ilie  laws  which  impel  the  storms  and  cur- 
rents that  originate  in  the  Arctic  Circle,  we  turn  nov.-  lO  the 
ste:>9  that  were  taken  in  the  United  States,  in  pursuanct 


610 


PROGRESS  OP  ARCTIC  DISCOVERT. 


w 


i 


i^' 


of  expectations  justly  entertained  by  the  imprisoned  men, 
to  send  them  relief  in  the  years  1882  and  1883. 

June  27th,  1882,  Congress  appropriated  $133,000  for 
the  above  purpose,  and  on  July  8th,  Mr.  Wm.  M.  Beebe 
was  sent  with  men  and  supplies  in  the  "  Neptune,"  Capt. 
Sopp.  The  ship  encountered  solid  ice-packs,  which  Mr. 
Beebe  says,  was  the  "  heavy  winter  ice,  which,  borne  from 
the  eastern  coast  of  Greenland  by  the  strong  current 
which  sets  southward  from  about  Iceland,  turns  to  the 
westward  and  northward  around  Cape  Farewell,  and  flows 
up  the  western  coast  of  Greenlaic^  until,  in  about  lat.  Sj" 
N.  it  meets  and  mingles  with  ti  .  .ent  from  Baffin's 
Bay.  These  united  currents  set  ;  hward  with  great 
strength  down  the  coast  of  Labrador,  and  trending  east- 
ward, pass  around  and  down  the  eastern  coast  of  New- 
foundland and  into  the  Gulf  Stream,  carrying  with  them 
the  immense  icebergs  launched  from  the  numerous  glaciers 
of  West  Greenland,  and  so  much  of  the  ice-fields  as  had 
survived  the  passage  fron  Davis  Strait."  July  17th,  the 
"  Neptune  "  reached  Godhavn.  On  the  28th  she  passed 
Littleton  Island,  where  her  progress  northward  was 
blocked  by  unbroken  ice,  as  thick  as  20  feet.  She  turned 
to  the  south,  and  anchored  in  Pandora  Harbor,  where  she 
found  a  record  of  Sir  Allen  Young's  visit  in  the  "  Pandora," 
in  1875,  and  also  plenty  of  hares,  eider-ducks,  auks  and 
gulls,  which  the  crew  killed  and  ate  greedily.  The  north- 
west gales  which  dispersed  the  ice,  enabled  the  "Neptune" 
Aug.  7th,  to  turn  back  to  the  north,  and  to  make  Payer 
Harbor  on  the  iSth,  in  lat.  78''  42'  N.,  long.  74°  21'.  At 
Brevoort  and  an  adjoining  island,  were  found  the  records 
and  cache  of  Capts.  Nares  and  Stephenson.  Further  prog- 
ress northward  was  checked,  and  the  ship  anchored  off 
Littleton  Island  Aug.  28th.  A  party  landed,  and  left  a 
cache  of  provisions  there  and  also  at  Cape  Sabine.  As  it 
appeared  impossible  to  reach  Greely's  station  at  Lady 
Franklin  Bay,  the  ship  returned  to  Godhavn  Sept.  8th, 
and  thence  to  St.  Johns,  Newfoundland.  All  relief  for 
Greely,  all  expectation  of  receiving  news  from  his  party, 
was  postponed  to  1883. — Thus  the  "Proteus,"  in  1881, 
found  almost  open  water  and  few  dangerous  ice-fields  as 
far  north  as  81°  44';  the  "Neptune"  was  blockaded  about 


ned  men, 

3.000  for 
^.  Beebe 
e,"  Capt. 
hich  Mr. 
►me  from 
I  current 
IS  to  the 
md  flows 
t  lat.  ej"* 
.  Baffin's, 
ith  great 
ing  east- 
of  New- 
ith  them 
>  glaciers 
)  as  had 
r7th,  the 
e  passed 
ird    was 
e  turned 
lere  she 
mdora," 
uks  and 
le  north- 
eptune  " 
e  Payer 

!I'.  At 
records 
er  prog- 
ored  off 
d  left  a 
.  As  it 
It  Lady 
ipt.  8th, 
lief  for 
s  party, 
1  1881, 
elds  as 
d  about 


p-^t  i^et--^ -^^^^^^^  fain  to  .etu™  after  a  ,U 

teer  from  I J  ^Z"P°"  ^nd  Lieut  r  Cn  P°?,''a™  July 
j6/ii.  TJo!-  ^,-;  'fi 'Oat  harbor •ii•S•e^tl^„3^-'7■ 


vv.  i^reely  Fifth  Ca 

^nd  supposed  tVb^  Caoe  Vn''^  ^  ^^V  %  aboui  s^v^  •?'  '^^''  ="d 
be  .«/,>,/^  ««,^,,^^^^^;Pe  Vork  Middle  passage  taTen^'i^'^  /°"'^  ^^ 
I.  1881.  *'''  °y  ^ce.    All  well.    This  Sr.f;!^    j  *"^  ^°"nd  to 

*ni&  notice  deposited  Aug. 


612 


PBOOBBSS  OF  A£CTIO  DISCOVERT. 


I' 


ip, 


m 


600  yards  from  the  open  water,  and  Capt.  Pike's  efforts 
to  force  a  passage  by  ramming  entirely  failed."  On  July 
2 2d,  the  "  Proteus  "  turned  south  and  endeavored  to  get 
out  of  the  pack,  but  found  all  movement  effectually 
blocked.  Ice  seven  feet  thick  was  piled  upon  the  floe 
amidships  and  astern,  and  crushed  against  the  ship's  sides 
and  into  her  bunker — the  starboard  rail  was  smashed,  the 
deck  planks  rose,  the  seams  opened,  and  at  7.15  P.  M. 
the  ship  sank  "  on  an  even  keel."  One  of  the  boats  and 
some  of  the  stores  were  saved  by  the  officers  (while  the 
crew  plundered  the  boxes)  before  this  catastrophe  oc- 
curred ;  a  cache  was  made  by  Lieut,  Colwell  at  Cape 
Sabine  for  Lieut.  Greely's  party,  and  he  then  headed  across 
Melville  Bay,  in  his  boat,  to  reach  the  "  Yantic,"  while  the 
rest  of  the  party  coasted  around  the  Bay  to  the  same 
destination.  Sept.  2nd,  the  latter  party  boarded  the 
"  Yantic  "  at  Upernavik,  and  and  Lieut.  Colwell  joined 
her  soon  afterwards  at  Godhavn.  The  whole  party  re- 
turned to  St.  John's  Sept.  13th,  1883.  Thus  Lieut.  Greely 
and  his  companionSj  exiled  for  three  winters  in  the  inter- 
ests of  science,  were  perforce  left  to  their  fate  until  the 
summer  of  1884. 

Point  Barrow,  Alaska. — We  have  previously  referred 
to  the  station  established  near  this  point,  in  the  interest 
of  the  U.  S.  Signal  Service.  It  was  put  in  charge  of  First 
r-:  I't.  P.  H.  Ray,  8th  Infantry  U.  S.  A.,  who  sailed  from 
Sau  Francisco  in  the  steamer  "  Golden  Fleece,"  July  i8th, 
1881,  accompanied  by  Acting-Assistant  Surgeon  G.  S. 
Oldmixon,  three  sergeants  and  eight  subordinates,  Sept. 
15th,  he  reported  to  General  W.  B.  Hazen,  Chief  Signal 
officer,  U.  S.  A.,  substantially  as  follows : — "  The  expedition 
arrived  at  Ooglamie  [name  of  an  Indian  village],  Alaska, 
Sept.  8th,  and  found  a  suitable  place  for  the  station  on 
the  northeast  side  of  a  small  inlet  which  I  have  named 
Golden  Fleece,  about  eight  miles  from  the  extreme 
northern  point  of  Point  Barrow  ;  all  the  intermediate 
country  is  interspersed  with  small  lakes  and  lagoons ;  the 
only  high  ground  is  occupied  by  an  Indian  village  at 
Point  Barrow.  The  voyage  was  a  long  one  ;  a  heavy  gale 
off  Cape  Lisburne  drove  us  out  of  our  course  to  the  north 
and  west.    The  ground  is  now  covered  with  snow :  ice  is 


% 


tHX  SEASONS  AT  POINT  SABBOW. 


Mt 


s  efforts 
3n  July 
i  to  get 
factually 
the  floe 
p's  sides 
ihed,  the 
5  P.  M. 
)ats  and 
vhile  the 
)phe  oc- 
at  Cape 
id  across 
vhile  the 
he  same 
ded  the 
il  joined 
)arty  re- 
it.  Greely 
;he  inter- 
until  the 

referred 
interest 
of  First 
led  from 
ily  i8th, 
.n  G.  S. 
Sept. 
if  Signal 
[pedition 
Alaska, 
ition  on 
named 
ixtreme 
lediate 
ins;  the 
^lage  at 
jivy  gale 
le  north 
ice  is 


> 


forming  rapidly  on  the  inlet  and  lakes  ;  the  cargo  was 
landed  with  extreme  difficulty  on  the  beach,  through  a 
heavy  surf  which  half  filled  our  boats,  the  spray  freezing 
where  it  struck  ;  the  vessel  liable  to  be  driven  out  to  sea 
at  any  hour.  There  will  still  be  more  or  less  suffering 
before  I  can  get  quarters  up  .  .  .  On  the  12th,  a  small 
wliarf  was  built,  the  wind  and  sea  abated  ;  and  on  the  13th 
and  14th  the  balance  of  the  cargo  was  safely  landed — the 
natives  assisting  with  their  oomiaks.  I  cannot  detain  the 
vessel  foi  fear  she  may  be  frozen  in  before  passing  Bering 
Strait  ...  If  I  procure  specimens  of  native  arms,  boats, 
implements,  etc.,  I  will  have  to  purchase  them  in  trade. 
I  have  not  a  sufficient  supply  for  that  purpose,  having 
only  taken  enough  to  purchase  fresh  meat  and  to  hire 
boats  and  labor  in  landings  ....  The  (relief)  vessel 
next  year  should  sail  at  an  earlier  date  than  the  expedi- 
tion this  year ;  have  not  seen  the  sun  since  I  have  been 
here.  The  latitude,  by  dead  reckoning  from  my  own- 
log-book,  is  71°  17'  50''  N.,  long,  ise^'  23'  45"  W." 

June  24th,  1882,  Lieut.  J.  S.  Powell,  U.  S.  A.,  sailed 
from  San  Francisco  in  the  schooner  "  Leo  "  with  supplies 
for  Lieut.  Ray.  In  Bering  Sea,  the  ship  met  a  heavy  gale, 
from  the  north,  and  lay  for  several  days  in  a  fog  without 
sight  of  land  or  sun,  about  four  miles  from  Plover  Bay. 
In  the  14th  in  a  heavy  gale.  Cape  Lisburne  was  sighted  ; 
on  the  i8th  the  ship  was  becalmed  in  lat.  71°  21'  N.,  long. 
158^  50'  W.  ;  on  the  19th,  a  strong  northeast  current  had 
carried  the  ship  to  the  northeast  of  Point  Barrow,  but  she 
landed  at  the  station  Aug.  20th.  Lieut.  Ray  said  that 
had  it  become  calm,  the  "  Leo  "  might  have  drifted  to  the 
northeast,  for  vessels  caught  in  the  northeast  current  move 
off  with  it,  "  and  not  a  piece  of  timber  ever  returns." 
Lieut.  Powell  says  (U.  S.  Signal  Service  Notes,  No.  X.) : — 

*  The  prospect  from  the  Station  even  in  summer,  when  it  is  at  its 
best,  is  monotonous,  uninviting,  and  in  winter  it  must  be  dreary  in- 
deed. The  tundra  spreads  away  level  and  brown,  relieved  here  and 
there  by  patches  of  sickly  green,  guttered  in  all  directions  by  shallow 
water-courses,  and  covered  with  small  shallow  pools,  while  at  no  point 
within  view  does  it  reach  an  elevation  of  fifty  feet  above  the  level  of 
the  sea.  Vegetation  is  very  scanty,  consisting  chiefly  of  moss  and 
lichens  and  oth?r  cryptogamous  growths,  with  occasional  patches  o| 


014 


PBOGRBSS  OP   ARCTIC  DISCOVERY. 


hard,  wiry  griss,  and  a  few  simple  flowers.  The  only  shrub  to  be 
found  is  the  dwarf  willow,  which,  instead  of  growing  in  an  erect  pos« 
ition,  creeps  along  under  the  moss  as  if  trying  to  hide  from  the  in- 
clement blasts,  and  in  summer  it  shoots  forth  its  pretty  rose-colored 
catskins  and  green  leaves  through  its  mossy  covering  in  a  timid  and 
hesitating  manner,  as  if  aware  ofthe  uncongenial  character  of  its  sur< 
roundings. 

"  During  eight  months  of  the  year  the  earth  is  frozen,  and  during 
the  remaining  four  it  thaws  to  the  depth  of  a  foot  from  the  surface, 
but  below  that  depth  it  is  permanently  frozen  to  an  unknown  depth, 
probably  one  hundred  and  fifty  feet  to  two  hundred  feet.  It  is  a  des- 
olate land,  interesting  no  doubt,  but  destitute  of  beauty,  one  in  which 
the  struggle  for  existence,  both  by  animal  and  vegetable  life,  is  of  the 
hardest,  where  the  aspects  of  nature  are  harsh  withou  grandeur  and 
desolate  without  being  picturesque. 

"The  year  is  divided  into  seasons, — a  winter  eight  months  long  and 
a  rather  uncertain  summer  of  four  months.  The  latter  season,  if  sum< 
mer  it  can  be  called,  is  only  such  by  contrast  with  the  preceding  winter, 
for  the  temperature  rarely  reaches  60",  and  at  any  time  a  snow-storm 
may  occur.  Snow  fell  on  every  day  we  were  at  the  station.  The  low- 
est temperature  was  60**  below-zero,  there  was  but  one  day  only  on 
which  the  sun  shone  sufficiently  to  make  observations.  The  sea  at 
Point  Barrow  does  not  freeze  to  a  greater  depth  than  six  or  seven  feet; 
the  ice  with  which  it  is  filled  comes  from  a  distance,  and  is  generally 
a  mixture  of  new  and  old  worn  ice.  There  is  nothing  in  this  sea  ap- 
proaching an  iceberg,  but  still  some  very  respectable  masses  are  formed, 
especially  near  the  coast,  where  the  pressure  of  the  moving  floes  from 
without  IS  met  by  the  resistance  of  the  land,  and  huge  fields  of  ice  are 
driven  over  each  other  until  they  become  grounded  in  water  from  fifteen 
to  twenty  fathoms  deep  and  are  piled  up  some  forty  or  fifty  feet.  No 
doubt  the  grandeur  and  sublimity  given,  to  Arctic  scenery  by  the  im- 
mensity of  icebergs  are  here  wanting,  but  the  immensity  of  power  dis- 
played by  these  enormous  ice  masses  is  more  calculated  to  impress  the 
mind  than  the  mere  bulk  of  lofty  bergs  that  stud  the  sea  on  the  eastern 
side  of  the  continent.  The  broken  floes  are  thrown  together  in  every 
conceivable  position,  and  at  every  possible  inclination  of  surface,  in 
a  profusion  of  irregularity,  of  which  no  language  can  convey  an  ade- 
quate idea.  Travelling  over  such  a  surface  is  next  to  impossible,  men 
without  encumbrances  could  possibly  advance  eight  or  ten  miles  in  a 
day,  but  if  laden  with  food  or  otherwise,  their  progress  would  be  far 
less  than  this — heavy  ice-sleds  would  be  almost  impossible.  Wher- 
ever there  is  land  there  is  always  an  ice-foot,  a  narrow  strip  of  level 
ice  along  the  coast,  over  which  sled-travel  can  be  easily  carried  on,  cr 
in  narrow  channels  without  currents,  where  the  ice  may  be  compar- 
atively smooth,  but  in  the  open  sea,  at  a  distance  from  land,  nothing 
but  failure  will  attend  such  attempts.  The  fringe  of  grounded  ice  along 
the  Point  Barrow  coast  follows  an  irregular  line,  more  or  less  distant 
from  the  shore,  depending  on  the  depth  of  the  water,  and  varies  from 
three  to  five  miles  in  width. 

**  Beyond  the  grounded  line,  the  surface  of  the  hummocks  and  floti 
if  just  as  rough  and  uneven  as  it  is  everywhere  else.    Although  to  tho 


THK  SEASONS   AT  POINT  BABBOW. 


615 


to  be 


ice  are 

fifteen 

No 

;he  im- 

rer  dis- 

!ss  the 

lastern 

every 

ice,  in 

ade- 

men 

in  a 

le  far 

^her- 

level 

)n,  or 

iipar- 

[thing 

ilong 

Istant 

Ifrom 

Ifloti 
tho 


eye  the  broad  expanse  of  jumbled  ice-hummocks  seems  as  stable  as 
the  solid  land,  the  stability  is  only  apparent ;  a  kind  of  vibratory  motion 
takes  place  from  time  tutime;  the  pressure  increases  and  decreases 
alternately;  currents  set  in,  and  the  whole  body  of  the  ice  seems  to 
oscillate  to  and  fro,  so  that  it  is  seldom  that  the  peculiar  noises  oc- 
casioned  by  the  grinding  and  crushing  together  of  the  slowly  moving 
masses  cannot  be  heard.  This  song  of  the  icy  sea  is  a  very  peculiar 
one,  and  can  scarcely  be  described  so  as  to  convey  any  clear  idea  of 
its  nature.  It  is  not  loud,  yet  it  can  be  heard  to  a  great  distance;  it 
is  neither  a  surge  nor  a  swash,  but  a  kind  of  slow,  crashing,  groaning, 
shrieking  sound,  in  which  sharp,  silvery  tinklings  mingle  with  the  low 
thunderous  undertone  of  a  rushing  tempest.  It  impresses  one  with 
the  idea  of  nearness  and  distance  at  the  same  time,  and  also  that  of 
immense  forces  in  conflict.  When  this  confused  fantasia  is  heard  from 
afar,  throngh  the  stillness  of  this  Arctic  zone,  the  effect  is  strangely 
weird  and  solemn — as  if  it  were  the  distant  hum  of  an  active,  living 
world  breaking  across  the  boundaries  of  silence,  solitude  and  death. 

"  Individual  auroras  often  lasted  ten  or  twelve  hours  or  more,  but  the 
great  bursts  of  splendor  .ind  motion  seldom  lasted  more  than  thirty 
minutes, and  often  did  not  continuoeven  so  long;  but  while  they  lasted 
they  were  magaificcnt,  indeed.  On  such  occasions  the  sky  became  a 
gorgeous  canopy  of  flames,  all  splendor,  color  and  motion;  arch,  col- 
umn, and  banner  flashed  and  faded;  silvery  rays,  with  rosy  bases  and 
fringed  with  gold  or  emerald  green,  danced  and  whirled  around  the 
zenith,  and  broad  curtains  of  light  f.ung  across  the  sky  in  every  form 
of  gracetul  curve  and  convohuion,  shook  rainbow  tints  from  every 
fold,  until  the  beholder  becajne  bewildered  and  lost  in  the  dazzling 
brilliancy. 

"  In  lower  latitudes,  the  aurora  is  mostly  seen  as  a  luminous  arch 
extending  across  the  northern  sky.  At  Point  Barrow,  the  arched  form, 
though  common,  was  not  the  prevalent  one,  and  the  arches  that  ap- 
peared were  seldom  perfect,  or  if  so,  only  for  a  few  moments  at  a  time, 
and  the  changes  of  form  were  so  incessant  that  it  was  hard  to  decide 
which  was  the  prevailing  type.  The  curtain  form,  mostly  broken,  but 
always  convoluted  and  folded  on  itself  like  an  immense  scroll,  was  a 
common  form,  but  whatever  the  form,  the  phenomena  passed  over  the 
sky  in  a  succession  of  waves,  sometimes  from  north  to  south  and  vice 
versa  Intimately  connected  with  the  aurora  was  the  disturbance  of 
the  magnetic  needle — i^i  fact,  during  the  prevalence  of  the  aurora,  the 
magnets  were  in  a  state  of  chronic  perturbation,  especially  during  tha 
great  displays,  when  they  were  often  so  disturbed  that  some  of  them 
could  not  be  read. 

**  Having  turned  over  all  supplies  to  Lieut.  Kay,  Sunday,  August 
27,  preparations  were  made  to  leave  this  dreary  region — a  region  which 
seems  to  be  one  in  which  the  bright  sunshine  of  hope  enters  with  a 
light  so  subdued  that  it  is  but  the  gleam  from  a  far  distant  planet  pen- 
etrating the  cavern  of  ceaseless  solitude  and  woe. 

"  Anchor  was  weighed  at  2  P.  M.,  Sunday,  and  our  homeward  voy- 
age begun  in  a  snow-storm.  We  passed  Point  Belcher,  August  28tK 
reached  East  Cape,  Asia,  Saturday,  September  20,  and  lay  there  Suty 
day  and  Monday.  We  sailed  from  East  Cape  to  St.  Lawrence  Bay, 
and  anchored  inside  the  harbor  at  3  P.  M.  next  day.    This  bay  is  full 


616 


l>hOOtn?B8   6fr   AttCTlC  mSCOVERY. 


^' 


of  historic  reminiscences  connected  with  the  burning  of  the  U.  S. 
Steamer  •  Rodgcrs  '  of  the  Jeannette  Relief  Expedition.  The  natives 
came  on  hoard  clothed  in  some  of  the  apparel  left  them  by  the  officers, 
and  crew  of  this  ill-fated  vessel.  Several  had  recommendations  from 
the  "  Rodgers"  party,  and  in  compliance  with  requests  made  therein, 
each  one  was  supplied  with  tobacco,  bread  and  molasses.  One  of  the 
natives  described  to  me  the  accident  which  befel  Master  Putnam  of 
the  Navy,  and  stated  that  some  time  after  the  ice-floe,  bearing  Putnam, 
drifted  out  to  sea,  a  south  easterly  wind  brought  the  tioc  back  to  shore, 
and  he  saw  the  remains  of  Putnam  on  it,  his  face  and  hands  much  dis' 
colored  and  the  body  swollen. 

"  On  the  28th  of  September,  in  Bering  Sea,  the  barometer  com* 
menced  falling  rapidly,  and  a  fierce  gale  sprang  up  from  the  East,  which 
soon  blew  with  so  much  violence  that  we  were  obliged  to  take  in  .ill 
our  canvas  and  heave  to  under  a  double-reefed  mainsail  and  foresail 
On  the  next  day  it  increased  in  fury,  and  for  the  next  d.iy,  and  the  next, 
and  for  full  five,  we  were  tossed  to  and  fro,  at  the  mercy  of  such  a 
storm  as  I  hope  I  shall  never  again  experience.  Hy  the  time  the  storm 
was  over,  the  entire  party  were  worn  out,  and  the  patience  exhibited 
under  such  circumstances  certainly  became  a  virtue.  We  passed 
through  Unimak  Pass  on  the  5th  of  October.  Our  voyage  from 
thence  across  the  Pacific  to  San  Francisco  was,  on  the  whole,  favor* 
able,  and  we  reached  the  latter  place  October  2." 

Lieutenant  Ray's  party  were  recalled  by  act  of  Congress 
1882-1883,  and  arrived  at  Washington,  October  1883.  Thus 
ended  for  the  present,  L /  command  of  the  Nation — appalled 
at  the  hardships  imposed  on  its  brave  sailors  without  com- 
pensating advantages — our  permanent  stations  in  the  Arc- 
tic Seas  for  meteorological  observations,  and  researches  in 
natural  history  and  ethnology.  The  territory  of  the  United 
States  (even  in  Alaska)  is  sufficiently  extensive  to  locate 
observatories  and  Signal  Stations  at  points  in  the  country 
where  the  observers  are  not  isolated  from  mankind,  or  in 
danger  of  starvation  and  pitiless  cold.  The  exploration  of 
(rigid  and  inclement  regions  can  safely  be  left  to  the  ad- 
venturous spirit  of  individuals,  at  least  until  we  forget  the 
terrible  sufferings  of  De  Long's  train  of  stiffened  corpses 
•nd  Greely'»  dead  and  mutilated  comrades. 


UFB   AT  FOBT  CONQES. 


617 


le  U.  S. 

ic  natives 
c  officers, 
ions  from 
e  therein, 
)ne  of  the 
•utnam  o( 
;  Putnam, 
:  to  shore, 
much  dis* 

cter  com' 
,ast,  which 
akc  in  all 
d  foresail 
1  the  next, 
of  such  a 
:  the  storm 
:  exhibited 
^e  passed 
yage  from 
ole,  favor- 


Dongress 

I.    Thus 

appalled 

out  com- 

he  Arc- 

irches  in 

United 

locate 

country 

d,  or  in 

ation  ot 

the  ad- 

rget  the 

corpses 


Lieutenant  Greely  and  his  Men. 

Life  at  Fort  Conger,  Discovery  Bay,  1881,  1882,  1883- • 
Departure  of  the  "Proteus'^  August  18,  1881 — Thrc^ 
years'  observations,  researches  and  explorations  towards 
the  Pole. — Non-Arrival  of  Succor,  and  retreat  southwards 
in  August,  1883 — Arrival  at  Cape  Sabine  October  31, 
1883 — Removal  to  Camp  Clay  Nov.  i — SuiTering,  Star- 
vation, Death — Rescue  by  the  Bear  and  Thetis^  June  22, 
1884 — Arrival  at  St.  John's,  Newfoundland,  July  17, 1884. 

We  left  Lieut.  Greely  and  his  little  colony  at  Discovery 
Bay  in  August,  1881,  busily  preparing  their  camp  ou  ihe 
shore.  Thu  house  which  they  built  measured  6i-4-2o  feet, 
and  was  made  as  secure  as  possible  against  the  violent 
winds  and  colds  of  the  Arctic  winter.  The  station  was 
named  Fort  Conger,  after  Senator  Conger  of  Michigan,  who 
secured  the  passage  of  the  act  of  Congress  under  which 
the  expedition  was  organized.  August  i8th,  1881,  the 
•'  Proteus,"  having  landed  her  supplies,  sailed  for  the  Un- 
ited States;  and  from  that  date  until  July  17,  1884,  when 
the  six  survivors  and  18  shrunken  bodies  enclosed  in  iron 
coflfins,  were  landed  at  St.  Johns  by  the  Relief  ships  under 
Commanders  W.  S.  Schley,  George  W.  Coffin,  and 
Lieut.  Wm.  H.  Emory,  of  the  Bear^  Thetis  and  Loch  Garry 
nothing  whatever  had  been  heard  from  Lieut  Greely  and 
his  men ;  they  were  silent  to  all  the  world  for  nearly  three 
years — prisoners  in  the  frozen  North — but  not  unmindful 
of  the  arduous  duties  which  they  had  been  deputed  by  their 
countrymen  to  perform.  The  expeditions  of  1882  and  1883 
had  failed  to  reach  their  ice-beleaguered  home — yet,  but  for 
the  provisions  cached  at  Cape  Sabine  by  Beebe,  in  1882, 
and  by  Lieuts.  Garlington  and  Colwell  in  1883,  together 
with  those  deposited  at  Payer  Harbor  and  Cape  Isabella 
by  Sir  George  Nares  in  1875^ — nothing  but  the  bones  and 
relics  of  any  of  Greely's  party  would  ever  have  been  re- 
covered. If  the  250  rajtions  left  by  the  "  Neptune  "  in 
1882,  at  Littleton  Island,  across  the  open  water  from  Cape 
Sabine,  could  have  been  reached  by  Greely's  men  iv  tbt 


618 


PROORESS   OF    ARCTIC   DISCOVERY. 


i  i  ■ 


Ir 


winter  of  1883,  1884 — all  might:  have  been  saved  ;  but,  un- 
fortunately, the  violent  gales  which  prevailed  all  winter, 
and  the  loss  of  their  boats,  prevented  their  crossing  Smith 
Sound  to  get  these  provisions. 

The  exploring  party  consisted  of  twenty-five  men,  in- 
cluding Lieut.  A.  W.  Grkklv,  of  the  Fifth  U.  S.  Cavalry ; 
Lieut.  Frederick  F.  Kislinburv, of  the  Eleventh  Infantry; 
Lieut.  James  B.  Lockwood,  of  the  Twenty-third  Infantry; 
Acting  Assistant  Surgeon  Octave  Pavv,M.  I).,  nineteen 
non-commissioned  officers,  and  privates,  and  the  two 
Esquimaux  who  were  taken  aboard  at  Upernavik.  The 
arrangements  for  the  comfort  and  security  of  the  men  left 
nothing  to  be  desired,  and  Lieutenant  Ckeelv's  manage- 
ment was  in  the  highest  degree  judicious.  There  was  no 
sickness  in  the  party.  The  men  were  kept  in  good  health 
and  spirits  by  active  employment,  and  such  amusements 
as  were  possible  under  the  circumstances.  Lieutenant 
Greely  and  Dr.  Pavy  occasionally  gave  the  men  lectures 
on  various  subjects,  and  each  man  was  allowed  to  celebrate 
his  birthday  by  choosing  the  dinntw,  of  which  all  partook. 
No  jealousies  or  dissensions  marred  the  harmony  of  the 
little  band.  The  discipline  was  of  necessity  rigid,  but  kind. 
A  sense  of  fraternity  and  common  dependence  ruled  the 
spirits  of  all.  Even  the  failure  to  receive  supplies  and 
news  from  home  does  not  appear  to  have  made  the  men 
despondent. 

From  August  188 1  to  August  1883,  when,  failing  to  re- 
ceive supplies,  Lieut.  Greely  abandoned  Fort  Conger  and 
retreated  south  to  Cape  Sabine,  the  members  of  the  party 
were  actively  engaged  in  explorations  and  researches. 
During  the  long  arctic  night,  utterly  without  sunlight  for 
135  days,  they  lived  in  a  house  within  a  house.  They 
breakfasted  at  eight,  lunched  lightly  at  11  A.  M.  and  9 
P.  M.,  and  dined  at  4  P.  M.  Observations  were  taken  daily 
in  meteorology,  astronomy,  magnetism,  sea  temperatures, 
ice  thicknesses,  tidal  motion,  and  velocity  of  sound  at  dif- 
ferent temperatures.  Military  discipline,  one  hour's  exer- 
cise per  day,  and  a  weekly  bath  were  required  of  all.  The 
living  apartments  were  kept  clean.  National  holidays 
were  observed  with  an  extra  dinner,  and  an  interchange  of 
presents  on  Christmas.    Thus  the  dread  disease  of  scurvy, 


1) 


jl 


INCREASING  EIGOR  OP  CLIMATE. 


61S 


to  re- 

;r  and 
party 

Lrches. 

(ht  for 

They 

ind  9 

daily 

Itures, 
It  dif- 
lexer- 
The 
lidays 
Igeof 
urvy, 


which  wore  out  two  ships'  crews  for  Nares,  was  prevented, 
and  a  fairly  contented  life  enjoyed. 

Arctic  research  has  advanced  about  three  hundred  miles 
northward  since  IJaffin  immortalized  himself  in  the  year 
1616.  Parry,  in  iSzy  reached  latitude  yg'' ;  Kane,  So** 
30'  in  1S54;  Hayes,  Si*'  30'  in  1861;  Hall,  82^  16'  in 
187 1  ;  and  Nares,  83°  20'  in  1876.  Lieutenant  Lockwood 
stopped  at  latitude  83*-'  24,'  but  saw  and  computed  83**  35', 
which  most  northern  land  now  known,  he  called  Cape 
Robert  Lincoln.  The  journey  to  and  from  this  point  oc* 
cupied  fifty-nine  days.  At  a  temperature  of  minus  sixty- 
one  degrees,  hares,  lemmings,  ptarmigan, snow-birds,  snowy 
ovvls,  polar  bears,  musk-oxen,  and  even  vegetation,  exist 
and  thrive.  Grinnell  Land  was  quite  thoroughly  explored. 
Nordenskiold  discovered  that,  late  in  the  summer,  great 
rivers,  formed  of  melted  ice,  with  icy  beds  and  banks,  make 
travel  in  the  north  impossible  without  small  boats.  Lake 
Hazer  'ed  by  streams  from  the  ice-cap  of  northern  Grin- 
nell \  and  emptying  into  Weyprecht  Fiord,  was  dis- 
coveicu  m  April,  some  miles  inJand  from  Archer  Fiord, 
when  some  open  water  was  seen.  Doubtless,  in  A.ugust,  a 
much  larger  sized  lake,  fed  by  innumerable  iarge  and  swift 
flowing  rivers,  would  have  been  found.  Thl'i  lake,  named 
after  General  Hazen,  is  the  most  northern  fresh-water  body 
on  the  globe,  one-fourth  in  size  of  Lake  Erie,  and  well 
stocked  with  fish.  Lying  contiguously  to  it,  and  parallel 
with  the  United  States  Mountains,  were  two  ranges  named 
after  Senator  Conger  and  President  Garfield.  The 
highest  land  in  the  latter  range,  and  indeed  of  all  the  coun- 
try north  of  Disco  Bay,  was  named  Arthur  Peak.  It  is 
5000  feet  in  height. 

On  the  shores  of  Lake  Hazen  the  remains  of  an  Esqui- 
mau village  were  found,  apparently  the  most  northern  hab- 
itation attempted  by  the  Esquimaux.  Here  were  evidences 
of  possession  by  this  people  of  dogs,  sledges  and  iron.  It 
would  argue  that  at  no  distant  period  there  was  a  beautiful 
valley  about  the  lake  with  an  abundance  of  vegetation  and 
game.  That  the  rigors  of  the  most  northern  climate  are 
slowly  advancing  south  is  evident  in  the  gradual  retreat  of 
the  Esquimaux.  From  this  high  latitude  tnty  have  been 
forced  several  degrees,  and  that  for  no  lau/  of  game.     Ad(> 


620 


PBOQBESS  OF  ABCTIO  DISCOVBBT. 


llV. 


to  this  the  migration  of  Icelanders  to  Manitoba,  after  bo 
coming  hereditarily  inured  to  the  climate  through  an  ances- 
try dating  back  a  thousand  years.  It  is  relevant  to  note 
that  in  18^4  Scandinavian  seai-men  found  an  open  winter, 
the  snow  melting  as  it  fell.  Kane,  in  the  winter  of  185 1, 
recorded  an  average  temperature  of  about  minus  5**.  The 
Polaris  expedition  during  the  winter  of  1872-3  experienced 
a  temperature  of  minus  40**.  Dr.  Hall  said  that  the  mer- 
cury froz€.  Lieutenant  Greely,  ten  years  later,  recorded 
a  mean  thermometer  of  minus  41  **  with  a  maximum  of 
minus  624** — the  lowest  degree  of  any  duration  yet  noted. 

Among  the  many  interesting  discoveries  of  the  party  were 
some  enormous  glaciers.  Many  were  found  by  Lieutenant 
Greely  in  the  vicinity  of  Lake  Hazen,  the  largest  of  which 
was  named  Henrietta  Nesmith.  This  is  the  third  promi- 
nent feature  of  the  Arctics  named  after  women.  The 
others  are  Lady  Franklin  Bay,  and  Victoria  and  Albert 
Mountains.  The  largest  glacier  discovered,  and  perhaps 
in  existence,  was  found  beyond  Lake  Hazen,  in  Grinnell 
Land,  toward  the  Polar  ocean,  and  was  named  after  Agas- 
siz.  It  resembles  the  great  wall  of  China,  and  was  at  first 
so  christened.  It  formed  the  southern  ice-cap  of  Grinnell 
Land,  and  is  separated  from  the  northern  ice  cap  by  sixty 
miles.  Locking  out  on  the  Polar  sea,  not  far  from  this 
glacier.  Lieutenant  Lockwood  saw  the  northern  termination 
0^  Grinnell  Lan\  ,  which  he  named  after  Sergeant  Brain- 
ARD,  who  followed  him  persistently  and  faithfully  during 
the  long. arctic  night.  To  the  south  the  southern  termi- 
nation v/as  seen,  and  called  Cape  Lockwood.  Beyond  was 
open  water,  and  across  that  a  new  country,  which  was 
named  after  President  Arthur.  Grinnell  Land,  so  thor- 
oughly explored  by  the  Greely  party,  may  be  called  the 
land  of  glaciers.  The  Agassiz  Glacier  is  now  the  most 
northern,  and  those  of  the  Grand  Tetons,  in  Wyoming,  ihe 
most  southern,  known  to  North  America. 

Geographically,  though  few  changes  in  Polar  maps  were 
found  necessary,  the  discoveries  are  not  without  interest. 
Cape  Britannia — the  furthest  northern  point  on  the  Green- 
land toast  seen  by  Beaumont,  is  not,  as  the  English  ex- 
plorer supposed  the  northern,  but  the  southwestern  end  of 
an  island.    Lieut.  liOckwood  went  some  distance  beyond 


of 
id 


THE  "  FAIITHEST  NOETH." 


the  island  which  bears  his  name,  but  could  not  get  ac- 
curate observations  on  account  of  th^  shadows  of  the  clifis; 
hence  he  made  his  official  "  farthest  North,"  at  Lockwood 
Island,  and  unfurled  the  American  -lag  four  miles  nearer 
the  Pole  than  Nares  had  planted  the  British  ensign ;  and 
beyond  this  point,  the  northern  coast  of  Greenland  was 
surveyed  for  several  miles  and  depicted  on  his  map.  The 
Esquimau  relics  collected  at  Fort  Conger  were  the  most 
complete  ever  found,  but  had  to  be  boxed  up  and  left  there. 
The  moss  which  the  Greely  party  boiled  with  their  seal- 
skin boots  at  Cape  Sabine  is  almost  exactly  like  the  gray 
moss  which  grows  on  the  New  England  rocks,  and  has 
little  or  no  nutriment  in  it.  Near  the  grave  of  Lieut.  Lock- 
wood  there  was  growing  when  the  relief  party  arrived,  some 
beautiful  flowering  moss,  and  a  clump  of  it,  with  its  purple 
flowers,  was  brought  home  by  one  of  the  officers,  to  the 
family  of  the  dead  explorer,  together  with  the  flag  that  he 
unfurled  at  his  "  farthest  North." 

Lieutenant  Greely.  in  a  dispatch  from  St.  John's,  Aug. 
17,  1884 — thus  summarizes  the  results  of  his  explorations  : 

"  For  the  first  time  in  three  centuries  England  yields  the  honor  of 
the  furthest  north.  Lieutenant  Lockwood  and  Sergeant  Brainard, 
May  13,  reached  Lockwood  Island,  latitude  83"  24'  north,  longitude 
44"  s'  west.  They  saw  from  2000  feet  elevation  no  land  north  or 
northwest,  but  to  noriheast  Greenland,  Cape  Robert  Lincoln,  latitude 
83"  35'  longitude  38''.  Lieutenant  Lockwood  was  turned  back  in 
1883  oy  open  water  on  North  Greenland  shore,  party  barely  escaping 
drift  in  Polar  Ocean.  Dr  Parry,  in  1882,  following  Markham's 
route,  was  adrift  one  day  in  Polar  Ocean  north  of  Cape  Joseph  Henry, 
and  escaped  to  land,  abandoning  nearly  everything. 

•*  In  1882  I  made  a  spring  and  later  summer  trip  into  the  intericnrof 
Grinnell  Land,  discovering  Lake  Ilazen,  some  sixty  by  ten  miles  in 
extent,  which,  fed  by  ice  caps  of  North  Grinnell  Land,  drains  Roggles 
River  and  Weyprecht  Fiord  into  Conybeare  Bay  and  Arche/ Fiord. 
From  the  summit  of  Mount  Arthur,  5000  feet,  the  contour  of  Ian<i 
west  of  the  Conger  Mountains  convinced  me  that  Grinnell  Land  trav» 
els  directly  south  from  Lieutenant  Aldrich's  furthest  in  1876. 

"  In  1883  Lieutenant  Lockwood  and  Sergeant  Brainard  sue. 
eeeded  in  crossing  Grinnell  Lanr*,  and  ninety  miles  from  Beatrix  Bay, 
the  head  of  Archer  Fiord,  struck  the  head  of  a  fiord  from  the  westeri 
sea,  temporarily  named  by  Lockwood  the  Greely  Fiord.  From  th< 
centre  of  the  fiord,  in  latitude  80'-'  30'  longitude  78"  30',  Lieutenant 
Lockwood  saw  the  northern  shore  termination,  some  twenty  milei 
west,  the  southern  shore  extending  some  fifty  miles,  with  Cape  Lock 
wood  some  seventy  miles  di.stant— apparently  a  separate  !and  fro*' 


622 


PROGRESS   OP   ARCTIC   DISCOVERY, 


: 


Grinnell  Land.  Have  named  the  netvr  land  Arthur  Land.  Lieutent 
ant  LocKWooD  followed,  going  and  returning,  on  ice  cape  averaging 
about  one  hundred  and  fifty  feet  perpendicular  face.  It  follows  that 
the  Grinnell  Land  interior  is  ice-capped,  with  a  belt  of  country  soma 
sixty  miles  wide  between  the  northern  and  southern  ice  capes. 

"  In  March,  1884,  Sergeant  Long,  while  hunting  from  the  northwest 
side  of  Mount  Carey  to  Hayes  sound,  saw  on  the  northern  coast  three 
capes  westward  of  the  furthest  seen  by  Narks  in  1876.  The  sound 
extends  some  twenty  miles  further  west  than  is  shown  by  the  English 
chart,  but  is  possibly  shut  in  by  land  which  showed  up  across  the 
western  end. 

"  The  two  years'  station  duties,  observations,  all  explorations,  and 
the  retreat  to  Cape  Sabine  were  accomplished  without  ]os:>  of  life,  dis- 
ease, serious  accident,  or  even  severe  frost-bites.  No  scurv;  was  ex- 
perienced at  Conger,  and  but  one  death  occurred  from  it  last  winter." 

On  the  9th  of  August,  1883,  Lieut.  Greely,  in  pursuance 
of  his  instructions  in  188 1,  left  Fort  Conger,  and  reached 
Baird  Inlet  on  Sept.  29.  Here  he  was  compelled  to  aban- 
don his  boats,  and  drifted  30  days  on  an  ice  floe  in  Smith 
Sound.  Intense  suffering  was  endured  by  the  heroic  men, 
and  many  signal  acts  of  bravery  and  humanity  pertormed 
for  the  preservation  of  all.  Sergeant  Brainard,  in  a  merci- 
less storm,  rescued  three  of  his  comraclesy>v^2;^«  together  in 
a  bag^  and  warmed  them  back  to  life.  Oct.  31,  the  floe  was 
driven  upon  Cape  Sabine,  and  here  the  whole  party  landed, 
and  pitched  their  camp,  naming  it  Camp  C'lay.  During 
nine  months  they  lived  upon  the  small  amount  of  food 
brought  from  Fort  Conger,  that  cached  by  Nares  in  1875, 
which  was  found  much  damaged  by  the  lapse  of  time,  and 
that  stored  by  Beebe's  relief  expedition  in  1882,  and  by 
Lieut.  Col  well  from  the  wreck  of  the  '*  Proteus,"  at  Cape 
Sabine,  in  1883.  When  these  provisions  gave  out,  the 
starved  men  ate  boiled  bcal-skin  strips  from  their  seal-skin 
clothing,  lichens,  and  shrimps,  of  which  it  took  1300  to  fill 
a  gallon  measure.  One  by  one  they  died,  until  only  seven 
were  left  alive  when  Lieut.  Schley's  Rescue  party  arrived 
at  Cape  Sabine  on  Sunday,  June  22,  1884. 

The  Relief  Expeditiojj  : — The  Bear,  the  Thetis^  and 
the  Alert,  were  fitted  out  at  the  Brooklyn  Navy  Yard  by 
order  of  the  U.  S.  Government,  in  April,  1884,  and  sailed 
from  the  port  of  New  York  April  24.  and  May  i-io,  under 
Commanders  W.  S.  Schley,  Geo.  W.  Coffin,  and  Lieut. 
W,  H.  Emory,  for  the  relief  of  Lieut.  Greely's  party.    The 


THE  REtlEF  EXPEDITION. 


623 


Lieutent 
:  averaging 
ollows  that 
untry  soma 
les. 

;  northwest 
:oast  three 
The  sounci 
he  English 
across  the 

itions,  and 
3f  life,  dis-^ 
Vj  was  ex- 
st  winter." 

ursuance 
reached 
to  aban- 
in  Smith 
o;c  men, 
?rtormed 
a  merci- 
gcther  in 
floe  was 
landed, 
During 
of   food 
in  1875, 
ne,  and 
and  by 
t  Cape 
ut,  the 
al-skin 
to  fill 
seven 
rrived 

\is^  and 
ird  bv 
sailed 
under 

I  Lieut. 
The 


Bear  was  bought  at  St.  John's,  Newfoundland, 
and  +he  Thetis  was  purchased  by  the  government 
at  London,  England.  The  Bear  was  built  as  a 
sealing,  and  the  7%e/w  as  a  whaling  steamer,  at 
Dundee,  Scotland,  and  were  each  about  210  ft. 
long,  30  ft.  in  breadth,  19  ft.  in  depth,  and  of  490 
tons  capacity.  These  ships  vere  strengthened 
in  every  part  so  as  to  bear  the  strain  of  Arctic 
navigation,  and  provided  with  stores  and  every 
appliance  to  promote  the  safety  and  health  of 
the  crew.  The  Alert  was  the  advance  ship 
of  Sir  George  Nares'  English  Expedition  in  1876, 
and  was  donated  by  the  British  Government  ex- 
pressly for  this  expedition  of  relief,  as  a  grate- 
ful return  for  the  Resolute,  presented  to 
Queen  Victoria,  eighteen  years  before,  by  the 
government  of  the  United  States,  under  the  fol- 
lowing extraordinary  circumstances: — In  Sep- 
tember, 1855,  the  Captain  fames  Budington,  a 
New  London,  Conn.,  whaler,  while  drifting  in  tho 
ice  of  Baffin's  Bay,  espied  a  ship  twenty  miles 
away.  For  a  week  the  two  vessels  approac^  '4 
each  other,  and  finally  the  stranger  was  Doaracd. 
It  was  the  famous  Resolute,  one  of  the  fleet  of 
Sir  E.  Belcher,  sent  in  search  of  the  Franklin 
expedition,  in  1852-1854,  and  abandoned,  two 
years  before,  hundreds  of  miles  away  in  Lancas- 
ter Sound.  The  motto  could  still  be  read  over 
the  helm,  "England  expects  every  man  to  do 
his  auty,"  but  there  was  not  a  soul  on  board. 
The  abandoned  ship  was  carried  into  an  Ameri- 
can port,  where  she  was  subsequently  purchased 
and  refitted  by  order  of  Congress.  In  the 
autumn  of  1856  the  vessel  was  manned  with  an 
American  crew,  taken  to  England  and  formally 
presented  to  Queen  Victoria  by  Capt.  Hartstene 
in  person,  aftcx'  his  rescue  of  Dr.  Kane.  Before 
being  sent  across  the  Atlantic  the  Alert  was  fit- 
ted up  with  new  rigging  and  spars,  and  her  bow 
was  strengthened  with  iron  plates.  In  the 
Brooklyn  I^avy  Yard  she  was  further  prepared 


It 


lilih 


et4 


^HOGltESS  OF  ARCTIC  BTScOriSRV. 


company  wHh^    ^  "'^  ■*«'^'-  and   thl^^°S^'"«»s. 
where  they   milhth'^ ''^'"t'   uovvr  in  a  r.  ?'"' 

about  ^tour^S^eV"  'V"«   ^o'"  re^orr^t^ 

nine  feet  ?„d'"  ^"""y  ^^5  tent  njlf."?'  "fe- 
the  northeast  %« P'^^^ed  H-ith  'its  one^f*  ^^ 
rockafortuna;^!^*  ''""^e  was  built  ^^^""^  *<» 
"'hen  they  ^tV?°'*   "ear   by^%^l  ^«a" 


RESCUE  OF  THE  DEAD   AND  DYING 


6S5 


to  transport  them  from  any  distance.  These 
stones  were  about  six  inches  thick,  and  piled  to 
a  height  of  three  feet,  covering  a  space  2 5- 17  feet. 
Over  the  centre  was  laid  the  Neptune's  whale-boat, 
forming  a  ridge-pole,  and  canvas  was  stretched 
across  this  for  a  roof.  Blocks  of  snow  were 
banked  on  the  outside  to  keep  out  the  wind. 
The  door  was  on  the  south  side,  and  was  about 
two  and  a  half  feet  by  three  feet,  with  a  covered 
tunnel  of  the  same  size  running  out  about 
twenty-five  feet.  There  were  no  windows,  and 
their  only  source  of  light  during  the  dark,  dreary 
winter  nights  was  an  Esquimaux  blubber  lamp.  ^ 

The  first  words  that  gave  signs  of  life  to  the 
rescuing  party  were  those  of  Greely,  who  said, 
in  a  feeble  voice,  "Cut  the  tent."  The  front 
and  western  sides  had  blown  down,  and  the 
poles  were  lying  across  three  of  the  party,  who 
were  stretched  out  in  their  sleeping-bags,  en- 
tirely too  weak  to  lift  the  burden  off.  They  had 
been  in  this  condition  sixty-two  hours.  The  few 
survivors  were  dying  of  starvation  and  cold.  A 
furious  gale  was  blowing,  and  had  succor  been  a 
little  delayed,  not  one  would  have  been  found 
alive.  Very  tenderly  the  heroic  men  were  cared 
for.  Food  was  given  them  with  great  caution, 
and  as  soon  as  possible  they  were  taken  on  board 
the  ships,  with  the  bodies  of  the  dead  that  could 
be  recovered.  Only  seven  out  of  the  twenty-five 
were  living.  They  were  Lieutenant  Greely,  Ser- 
geant Brainard,  Sergeant  Fredericks,  Sergeant 
Long,  Sergeant  Elison,  Hospital  Steward  Bieder- 
beck,  and  Private  Connell.  Greely,  too  weak  to 
walk,  was  carried  to  the  launch  in  a  canvas 
stretcher,  while  the  others  were  borne  through 
the  gale  by  the  sailors. 

After  securing  all  the  records  and  instruments 
belonging  to  the  party,  the  ships  steamed  toward 
Disco.  The  Alert  was  met  on  the  way,  struggling 
bravely  through  the  ice,  in  company  with  the 
transport  Loch  Garry ^  and  on  the  5  th  of  July  the 


■ 


I! 


1 1 


n 


I  i 


626 


mORESS  OF  ARCTIC  DISCOVERT. 


Ships  anchored  at  Disco      q 

soon    after  undereofn^Vt,^^''^^^^^  ^Hson  died 
hands   and   feet     S.  h.^^  ^^^P^tation   of  Ws 
during  an  exped  tion  n  L  '^'^u^^^^^   ^^dly  frozen 
mams  of  Freder  k  ChSn'^  ^^'  ^°°^-     The  4^ 
the  grrave-vard  af  r^^f      ^^®^^^  ^ere  interr^^  f 
placid  in  a   fo1i"b?j„*^f ,-1^^-  deaTwe^e 
morning  of  Tulv  othfi         ""^^^'^   home.     On   fh! 

Greely,  clothed  inVhiL  f    V^J^  ^"''e-     Ueut 

of  I.ieut.  Powell.  In  *hl '  '^''"'."^  on  the  arm 
Chandler  addreW^t I,  ^  evening-  SecretT^ 
counting  the  event  o/tr.°P'",°"^^«^o  Halt'^r^ 
expeditions.  L^eut  Grill  ^^^P'?""?  and  relief 
^as  read  to  the  meeti^l  "^^^f"*  ?>  i^«er  which 
for  E  moment  in  our  da?UiJ  ^""^  *'^='t  "never 
did  we  doubt  tw  f r  r*  °^  gloomiest  hour 

planning  for  our  rescue  ^F^""'^  People  were 
food  failed  and  mended   twT-  :^^y  *°  day  al 
tainty  gave  strength  to  7,'«,     V-^^ ""^  that  cer- 
,  Aug.  8th  the  relief  Ihint !""?  "li^^'" 
Island,  in  New  York  h?.,   '""''^^  **  Governor's 

north  of  Bedloe's  Island     te     ^^^^    ancho?e| 
twguished  from   oth^r    ,  J'^^J'.^'ere  easily  dia- 

black,  sombre-lookht  hulI.'''K    I  ^^"^^  heaw 
a^^^their  topmast  heafs^^i'd''  th^^e  ''^^'■"^^-"esTs 
""^st- ThereraainsofLient;  i  i'^^s  at   half. 

Officers,  including  Confmf  ^  ^  ®^'^^^®  and  navS 

fi«.  and  I.ieut.  Emorr^eTe  nu?  ^'^'"^  ^^^  C^S 

y,  were  put  on  board  the  tug- 


CANNIBALISM   IMPUTED. 


627 


)r's 


\ 


Caialpa,  and  conducted  to  Governor's  Island, 
where  they  were  received  by  Major  General  Han- 
cock and  his  s*-'\lf,  Secretary  Lincoln,  General 
Sheridan,  Gen.  riazen,  and  all  the  available  troops 
of  the  5th  Artillery,  with  the  regimental  band 
and  the  relatives  and  friends  of  the  dead  ex- 
plorers. The  coffins  were  put  on  caissons,  and 
borne  by  the  procession  to  the  hospital  on  the 
north  shore  of  the  island,  near  Castie  William. 
They  were  placed  on  biers  in  a  darkened  room 
in  the  east  wing  of  the  hospital.  No  cannons 
were  fired  at  Governor's  Island  while  the  remains 
rested  there,  except  the  gun  which,  at  reveille 
and  retreat,  salutes  the  rising  and  setting  sun. 

A  mournful  incident  connect  3d  with  this  sol- 
emn reception  of  the  dead,  was  the  presence  of 
Lieutenant  Kislinbury's  son,  about  ten  years 
old,  accompanied  by  the  lamented  officer's  two 
brothers.  The  little  mourner  walked  with 
drooping  head  and  tear-filled  eyes  between  his 
uncles,  until  Secretary  Lincoln,  remembering 
no  doubt  how  he  had  seen  his  own  martyred 
father,  Abraham  Lincoln,  borne  to  the  tomb  amid 
a  great  Nation's  tears — took  him  by  the  hand 
with  sympathetic  words,  and  led  him  tenderly 
the  rest  of  the  way  to  the  hospital.  After  the 
mourners  had  gone  from  the  building,  a  guard 
of  honor  was  placed  in  the  room,  and  kept  watch 
by  the  dead. 

It  would  not  be  desirable,  were  it  possible,  to 
conceal  from  the  historic  page,  the  charge  of 
cannibalism,  that  was  made  against  some  un- 
known members  of  Lieut.  Greely's  party.  The 
fact  appears  to  have  been  proven  beyond  doubt 
by  the  autopsy  made  on  the  body  of  Lieutenant 
Frederick  F.  Kislinbury,  after  it  had  been  con- 
veyed to  his  home  in  Rochester,  N.  Y.  Drs.  Charles 
Buckley  and  P.  A.  Mandeville,  of  that  place,  after 
examining  the  remains  in  the  chapel  of  Mt.  Hope 
Cemetery,  made  a  sworn  statement  of  what  they 
saw,  as  follows:  "The  body  was  packed  in  cot- 


it  i'l 


6S8 


'«0G««  0,  «cric  DWCOVEW, 


fefei^^^J^^PPedin  cotton  Coth.  «ewed 
"'e.ghed  on  the  taWe  V.c  ,*  "'°2'^"  blanket  I? 
head  was  perfect,  haviW  i  ""  /^^  >"'»'"^*-  The 
and  mustache.     The  hrSi  "^  hair  and  full  beard 

«a„  werepresent  duri^e  the    °^  .*''^  '^^<=«»«^^ 
amination,  and  readi'lv  ~.  ^.  P°st-niortem  ex- 
theface.     From  tie  ^^"^"'^ed  the  body  by 
of  muscle,  flesh  ands^tj^  J'"  ^"'  <»"ry  plrhcle 
sharp  instrument  t/L  if  *'^'":il'"-^  with  some 
hand,  andfeet  wasperflc*    and    ^^.''^^^  °»  thi 
No  bones  had  been  brolce^'  ^T^^  <iecomposed. 
thoracic  and  abdominal  I^WtJ        °''«^^"^  °f  the 
There  wag  ample  evidence  of^J^''^^"  Vr^^^r^t. 
andgastritis.    The  fact  of  cal^ff"*  Peritonitis 
lieutenant  Greely     when   i"?^''^"*  «^««  P'ain." 
the  condition  of  £ieut    K-1  ,•''1^  opinion  as  to 

askedbyacorrespondent^ftr^r^'^  body  was 
at  his  cottase  A,,,,    .^!J}  °**he New rork  TnTmn, 

rible  charges  came  ,fn^  '^*er  disclosures  and  ter! 
ness.  I  have  suff™ed^^  '"^  ^'^^  ''^^^  sudden- 
last  few  days  than  fduTn  .T"''"  ^"?"'«h  these 
North  ^,n  the  chances  were  foot'"''  "*  ^^^ 
me      If  there   were  any  canniK^?    °   '  ^^ainst 
now  seems  to  be  no  douVabo^o    fi^^"^-  ^"^  ther> 
done  ,„  secrecy,  and   ^^tt     ,    "—'he  man-eating  wa, 

edge  andco-;!:trary  tomTdi.":",'?°"*  "^7  ^nowl! 
no   stronger    denial    ^'l!''*"P''"e-     I  can  give 

can  testify  that  the  body  „^fth?T    ?^  "'«   ^^-^^ 
Schneider,  was  nnt^:Jt^,  }  V^^  ^ast  man  deart 

^^  fceptEI,rsonX??n  ?htV"^*'^«  f-"  *  thft 
were  in  ought  to  con  vL^,    ^"P/less  state  we 
■  not  canniblls.     WhenT^,!/"^'"'?^  ^^^^  we  ar| 
rations,  to  the  detriment  ^ft^f^,"!  !"""•  ^'"son's 
not  a  man  complained  al+h;    \:V'°  '"^st  of  ng 
decreased  our  spa"s  on  fer^''?"''^'"^  that  it 
Smce  my  return  to  m„    £   *°  "  terrible  degree 
have  called  upon^me^.^^b^od^P'^iJ  *»»«  ^"'^--^ 
.*^^t  they  knew  nothing  abw' *\'*"*  assured  me 
the  bodies  Of  their  fX^cSU^Iera^.tion  ^^f 


HI  wi'liXii 


okeely's  report. 


629 


's 


man  •olem.nly  swore  that  he  was  innocent  of  the 
deed.  ' '  I  doubt  if  an  investigation  will  reveal  who 
are  the  cannibals.  Perhaps  those  who  died  last 
fed  upon  the  bodies  of  those  who  died  be- 
fore. .  .  .  For  days  and  weeks  I  lay  on  my 
back  unable  to  move.  If  in  my  enfeebled  condi- 
tion, one  or  more  of  my  men  fed  upon  human 
ilesh,  it  was  beyond  my  control,  and  certainly 
beyond  my  knowledge." — Regarding  the  shooting 
of  Henry  by  I^ieut.  Greely's  orders,  the  latter 
said:  **The  case  demanded  immediate  action, 
and  Secretaries  Chandler  and  Lincoln  and  Gen- 
eral Hazen  have  all  assured  me  that  I  acted  right- 
ly, and  that  the  exigency  justified  the  means." 
The  following  detailed  report  of  the  execution  of 
Private  Henry  made  by  Lieut.  Greelyto  General 
Hazen,  Aug.  14th,  1884,  will  enable  the  reader  to 
understand  the  last  statements  in  the  above  in- 
terview: 

'<SiR, — I  have  the  honor  to  report  that,  on  June 
6th,  1 8 84,  at  Camp  Clay,  near  Cape  Sabine, Grinnell 
Land,  it  became  necessary  for  me  to  order  the 
military  execution  of  Private  Charles  B.  Henry, 
Fifth  cavalry,  for  continued  thieving.  The  order 
was  given  in  writing  on  my  individual  responsi- 
bility, being  deemed  absolutely  necessary  for 
the  safety  of  the  surviving  members  of  the  ex- 
pedition. Ten  had  already  died  of  starvation, 
and  two  more  lay  at  the  point  of  death.  The 
facts  inducing  my  action  were  as  follows:  Pro- 
visions had  been  stolen  in  Nov.  1883,  and  Henry's 
complicity  therein  was  more  than  suspected: 
on  March  aoth,  1884,  the  party  nearly  perished 
from  asphyxia.  While  several  men  were  uncon- 
scious, and  efforts  were  made  for  their  restora- 
tion, Private  Henry  stole  about  two  pounds  of 
bacon  from  the  mess  stores.  He  was  not  only 
seen  by  the  Esquimaux,  Jans  Edwards,  but  his 
stomach  being  overloaded,  he  threw  up  the  un- 
digested bacon.     An  open  investigation  was  held 

»ii4  eY9ry  member  of  the  party  4§Ql»red  b;n^ 


I 


630 


PROGRESS  OF  ARCTIC   DISCOVERY, 


tMl 


guilty  of  this  and  other  thefts.  A  clamor  for  his 
life  was  raised,  and  repressed  by  me,  I  put  him 
under  surveillance  until  our  waning  strength 
rendered  his  physical  services  indispensable. 
Later  he  was  found  one  day  intoxicated,  having 
stolen  the  liquor  on  hand  for  general  issue.  A 
second  time  his  life  was  demanded,  but  I  again 
spared  him.  On  June  5th,  the  theft  of  provisions 
on  his  part  having  been  reported  to  me,  I  had  a 
conversation  with  him  in  which  I  appealed  to  his 
practical  sense,  pointing  out  that  union  was 
necessary  to  our  preservation.  He  promised  en- 
tire refomation,  but  distrusting  him,  I  issued  a 
written  order  that  he  should  be  shot  if  detected 
stealing.  On  June  6th,  he  not  only  stole  part  of 
the  shrimps  for  our  breakfast,  but  visiting  un- 
authorized our  winter  camp,  stole  certain  seal 
skins  reserved  for  food.  I  then  ordered  him 
shot;  on  his  person  was  found  a  silver  chrono- 
graph abandoned  by  me  at  Fort  Conger,  and 
stolen  by  him.  In  his  bag  was  found  a  large 
quantity  of  sealskin,  and  a  pair  of  sealskin 
boots,  stolen  a  few  days  before  from  the  hunter. 
Suspecting  complicity  on  the  part  of  others,  I 
ordered  his  execution  by  three  of  the  most  reli- 
able men.  After  his  death  the  order  was  read  to 
the  entire  party  and  was  concurred  in  as  not 
only  just,  but  essential  to  our  safety.  To  avoid 
public  scandal,  I  ordered  that  no  man  should 
speak  of  this  matter  until  official  report  should 
be  made  of  facts. 

*' I  have  the  honor  to  request  that  a  court  of 
inquiry  should  be  instituted,  or  that  a  court- 
martial  should  be  convened,  should  the  honor- 
able secretary  of  war  deem  either  advisable  in 
this  case.  I  have  thought  it  best  not  to  ask  the 
written  statements  of  the  surviving  members 
of  the  party  for  appendices  to  this  report,  lest  I 
might  seem  to  be  tampering  with  them.  I  have 
not  asked  since  our  rescue,  June  22nd,  whether 
their   opinions  concurring  in  my  action  have 


HSfeSf 


greely's  report. 


631 


changed  or  not,  leaving  such  questions  to  your 
action,  if  deemed  requisite.  I  necessarily  re- 
gret that  circumstances  imposed  such  a  terrible 
responsibility  upon  me,  but  I  am  conscious  that 
I  would  have  failed  in  my  duty  to  the  rest  of  my 
party  had  I  not  acted  promptly  and  summa- 
rily." 

lieutenant  Greely  has  published  (N.  Y.,  1885- 
6)  an  account  of  his  expedition  in  two  large 
volumes.  In  these  he  does  not  allude  to  the 
charges  ot  cannibalism,  to  the  proofs  thereof 
adduced  by  friends  of  Lieut.  Kislinbury  and 
others, — nor  to  his  own  convictions  of  their 
truth  as  expressed  in  the  interview  detailed 
above.  But  as  neither  he  nor  Sergeant  Brainard, 
the  strongest  survivor,  and  the  active  leader  of 
the  party  after  Greely's  disability,  had  personal 
knowledge  of  the  revolting  act,  and  as  none  of 
the  officers  of  the  relief  ships  saw  or  re- 
ported any  mutilation  of  the  bodies  exhumed  at 
Camp  Clay,  nor  anything  unusual  in  such  cases 
except  extreme  emaciation  to  skin  and  bones  in 
both  the  living  and  the  dead,  it  is  perhaps  not 
to  be  regretted  that  Lieut.  Greely  refrains  from 
alluding  to  it  in  his  book.  It  is  well,  however, 
that  the  fact,  of  which  unmistakable  evidence 
appears  to  have  been  furnished  by  the  autopsy 
of  Lieut.  Kislinbury's  ghastly  remains  at  Roches- 
ter, N.  Y.,  should  not  pass  into  oblivion,  nor  be 
ignored  in  any  future  scheme  for  exposing  men 
unnecessarily  to  the  horrors  of  starvation.  Sim- 
ilar misfortunes  have  happenened  to  half  de- 
mented creatures  shipwrecked  for  weeks,  with- 
out food,  and  starving  on  the  lonely  ocean,  and 
in  other  calamitous  circumstances,  and  may 
occur  again  among  ignorant  and  ravenous  sailors 
or  outcasts;  but  we  may  hope  that  the  United 
States  will  not  hereafter  voluntarily  send  her 
servants  to  a  similar  fate  in  the  "Land  of  Desola- 
tion." 

In  closing  this  account  of  the  melancholy  d^- 


682 


PROGRESS   OF   ARCTIC   DISCOVERY. 


nouemetit  of  the  Lady  Franklin  Bay  expedition, 
and  collapse  of  the  United  States  signal  station 
inOrinnell  Land,  the  scientific  results,  as  es- 
timated by  Lieut.  Grecly  on  his  return  home, 
will  be  of  interest.  An  agent  of  the  Associated 
Press  visited  his  cottage  on  Seuvoy  Island,  N.  H., 
Aug.  i6th,  1S84,  and  obtained  from  Lieut.  Greely 
the  following  data,  which  we  transcribe  with 
some  transpositions  and  verbal  condensations 
from  the  newspaper  report : — 

The  observations  in  which  the  greatest  possi- 
ble accuracy  was  to  be  had,  where  tliose  of  the 
declination  and  deviation  of  the  magnetic  needle, 
temperature  of  the  air  and  sea,  height  of  bar- 
ometer, and  mean  and  maximum  rise  and  fall 
of  tides.  On  the  evening  of  August  28th,  1881, 
when  the  "Proteus"  finally  left  the  Greely  party 
at  Discovery  Bay,  and  returned  to  the  United 
States — the  temperature  s  nk  below  the  freez- 
ing point,  and  the  icy  Arctic  wind  increased  in 
intensity.  During  the  first  month  t]ie  cold  af- 
fected the  men  more  than  at  any  subsequent 
time.  In  Dec.  the  mercury  sank  to  50°  and  65" 
below  zero  for  several  days  at  a  time,  but  even 
in  that  weather  the  cook's  favorite  exercise  was 
dancing  bare-headed,  bare-armed,  and  with  slip- 
pered feet  on  top  of  a  snow  drift.  During  the 
day  the  men  dressed  in  the  ordinary  outside 
clothing,  but  their  flannels  were  heavy.  Five 
men  were  generally  engaged  for  a  part  of  the 
day  in  a  scientific  work  vmder  Greely's  direction, 
and  in  the  duties  of  the  camp;  the  rest  worked 
usually  about  one  hour  a  day,  and  devoted  the 
remainder  of  their  time  to  amusement.  All 
slept  in  bunks.  The  quarters  were  heated  by 
a  large  coal  stove,  to  an  average  of  50°  above 
zero.  Evening  amusements  were  playing  chess, 
cards  and  checkers,  and  reading.  Thus  two 
years  were  passed  happily  at  Fort.  Conger,  and 
life  was  not  lonely  there,  said  Lieut.  Greely. 
On  Oct.  15  th,  the  sun  left  them  for  135  days,  and  a 


!-5i'-;--;.r'-:^.-tifap:r,'rsflir?fW'^;'  "■-^^a 


WEIRD  8CBNBRY. 


633 


was 
ilip- 
the 

iide 


ion, 

"Iced 

(the 

Ull 

by 

)ve 

iss, 

Iwo 

nd 


twilight  vaiying  from  half  an  hour  to  14  hours 
succeeded;  lor  two  months  it  was  so  dim  that 
the  dial  of  a  watch  could  not  be  read  by  it. 
April  nth,  iS32,  the  sun  came  above  the  horizon 
and  remained  there  135  days — giving  the  party  a 
great  sulticiency  of  a  midnight  sun.  During 
three  months  the  stars  were  visible  constantly, 
the  constellations  of  Orion's  Belt  and  the  Great 
Bear  being  the  brightest.  The  North  Star 
looked  down  from  almost  overhead.  Standing 
alone  outs  Ve  the  Fort  on  one  of  these  nights, 
the  scene  was  weirdly  grand.  To  the  north 
flamed  the  aurora  borealis,  and  the  bright  con- 
stellations were  set  like  jewels  around  the  glow- 
ing moon.  Over  everything  was  dead  silence, 
so  horribly  oppressive  that  a  solitary  man  is 
almost  tempted  to  kill  himself,  so  lonely  does 
he  feel.  The  astronomer  of  the  party  said  that 
with  the  nriki'd  eye  a  star  of  (»ne  degree  smaller 
m  ignitude  can  be  seen  in  the  far  North  than  in 
our  own  latitudes.  The  moon  was  in  sight  from 
one  to  twelve  days  continuously.  June  30th,  1 882, 
they  had  the  highest  temperature,  52®  above  zero, 
known  during  their  stay  at  L,ady  Franklin  Bay; 
the  lowest  about  66*  6e/ozi;zero,  was  in  Feb.  1883; 
th.Q  mercury  froze  and  remained  solid /or  I  ^  days,  so 
intense  was  the  cold.  (Dr.  Hall  recorded  a 
similar  experience).  The  mercury  in  the  ther- 
mometer invariably  rose  during  sto^'ms  and  high 
winds.  The  highest  barometer  was  slightly 
above  31  inches,  the  lowest  slightly  below  29 
inches,  showing  a  great  range.  The  greatest 
variations  were  in  winter;  the  electrometer  was 
set  up,  but,  to  their  astonishment,  it  gave  no 
electrical  indications. 

The  Stars  and  Auroras. — The  general  shape  of 
the  aurora  was  that  of  a  ribbon  ;  the  brightest 
displays — not  to  be  compared  with  those  seen 
at  Discovery  Island  and  Upei'navik — accompanied 
by  no  crackling  sound,  were  seen  in  the  north- 
westerly horizon.     Sir  George  Nares  reported  iu 


634 


PR0«RK!<8  OV  ARCTtC  DlSCOVKRY. 


ii:  ^ 


1876  thai  no  nhiulow  was  caat  by  the  nurorn ;  but 
Uiou(.  Oti'ooly  .saw  dint  iiu't  ly  his  ovvti  Hlia(h)NV  is 
Iho  avii-oial  lijvlit.  A  rmiibliug  orihumlor  wan 
twice  hvMi'd  iar  away  10  the  iu)tt  h  — ollicrwiso 
th«.M"c  worciio  clocli'ioal  ^list  urbamoH. 

It  waa  iliscDVoroil  lluil  the  tiUcH  at  Uady 
Fianklin  Hay  ov>ino  iVom  the  iu)rtli,  while  lliose 
at  Melville  bay  and  Cape  Sablue  came  IVoiii  the 
isouth,  and  were  two  dej;reeH  voider  than  tiie 
north  t ivies  at  Kv)i't  C\)n};er.  (ir-.ely  used  a 
lixed  j;auv;e — ati  iron  rod  planted  in  the  nuid — in 
lueasurinj;  the  ebb  and  tlow  of  the  tide.  The 
averai;:e  rise  ol'  sprinj;^  tides  at  Uavly  Franklin 
Hay  was  eight  Teet — tit  Cape  Sabine  the  hi};hest 
were  twelve  I'eet.  Surt"  was  observed  only  twiee 
duringf  their  captivity.  The  averai;e  tetnpera- 
ture  ot  the  water  was  2()^  above  zero,  or  3*^  below 
I'reezins^  point.  Foxes  and  other  animals  were 
seet\  around  Fort  Conger;  wolves  weighing  90 
pounds  were  killed.  Ot  tish  there  was  a  wonder- 
tul  scarcity;  but  from  the  fresh  water  of  UaUe 
Alexander,  15  feet  abi>ve  sea  level,  a  iour-pouua 
salmon  was  taken.  From  the  bay  and  sea,  only 
two  small  tish  were  taken  dut'i ng  their  stay;  in 
fact,  few  are  to  be  taken  north  of  Cape  Sabine. 
The  vegetation  in  al!  this  region,  even  at  the 
northern  Ullima  Thulj  reached  by  l^ieut.  l^oek- 
wood,  consists  of  lichens,  mosses,  willows  and 
saxifrage.  Rain  fell  rarely;  snow-storms  were 
frequent;  during  one,  the  velocity  of  the  wind 
IS  registered,  was  70  miles  an  hour.  L<ievit. 
Lroekwood's  trips  to  tiie  North  in  18S2-1883,  prom- 
ised valuable  resu'is.  Standiujf  on  the  i9tli  of 
May  in  each  year  where  Dr.  Hayes  stood  in  the 
same  month  during  his  Arctic  cruise,  from  au 
elevatior*  of  2,000  feet,  Lockwood  with  his  strouj^- 
est  glasses  directed  on  Hall's  Basin  and  Robe- 
sou's  Channel,  could  discern  nothing  but  ice 
packs  wbere  Dr.  Hayes  thought  he  saw  an  "open 
polar  sea."  In  1S82,  about  300  miles  north  of 
Lady  Franklin  Bay  in  a  direct  line,    but    1,000 


"OPKN    I'OT<AR    *?!',A.  " 


'S35 


iiiiIrM,  owitij',  lo  (ipcn    walci*  ati«l    brolfcri    p.-ickw, 
by    the     roiilc     \\v.    travclctd,     Liciiic     I^ccU wood 
iwicIkmI  1  III"  liijrlK'Hi   lal  il  tide  I'vcr    altuincd,    83*^ 
25'  N.      Ill  iSHj  Ju'  waM  Hloppi'd  ncarCapc  Uryaiit, 
125  inilrH  diiH'«l  ly  noil  li  IVom    P'orl    C<»iijmt,    l>y 
Mil  opvii  tliaiiiH'l  cxI 'MkUm)^  wchI   lo  ilic  coaHl    of 
(iriniudl  Land,  and  varyiii);^    IVoni    200    yaidn    to 
livo  niilcM  ill  wi<llli      l>iil   on    Hit;    norlli    tin;    ice 
pa«."lc.H  cxli-ndrd  hi'yoiid  Hn;   ranja:  ol    IiIm    /HaHH. 
II:"  lliis  open  chaiiMLd   iiad    iiol.    I)an«'(|    hirt    way, 
I^ocUwood    wart    conlidcnl;    thai;    lie    ('ouI<l     have 
ri-aelMMJ  85"  N.      Tliir  only    sea    animalH    Ik;    Haw 
liei'e  were  liic  walniM  (nol:  IouikI  al   l<a«ly  l*'raiik- 
liii  Hay)  and  weal.     TIk*  delleelioii  of  Hie  tnajniet- 
ie  lUH'dle  Jit  83"  25'  waH  104"  went — more  than  1-4 
of  a  circle.     Al   Uady  i''ranUlin'H  JJay,  the  needle 
wart  never  (jniet:  exeepi  in  nlorrnrt.      lie  .sounded 
I  he  H».'a  hcl  ween  Capes  Bryaiil  and  Hriiannia.  hut 
vviih  135  Jalhonirt  of  liiUMould  nol.  ioneli  »*(;ltoni; 
Markhain  a  lew  yearrt  hel'oi'e  got    hollom  at    72 
fathoniH,    ahout    lou    nii'iH    io    the    west.     The 
iiorlh-eaHlern  1  rend  oi' the  Greenland  eoa.st  v'^on- 
iinued  beyond  hirt    view.     No  BJ^nirt   of   a   polar 
current     or   open    .sea  were  discovered,      l/w-u- 
tenant  Greely  .says  iiiat  if  the  Norlli  J'oh^  is  ever 
reached  by  man,  it  will  be  done  by  way  of  I'ranz 
JoHef   l^^and;  it    is   iinprej^niable    by    tlie    " Jean- 
no  tte's"  Jjehrinjr  {Strait  route.     lie    thinks,  liow- 
ever,  that  an  o[»en  ])olar  8ea  is  indicated  by   the 
ice  drift  inj^  out  of  Mussel  iiay  '  nd  Sl)itzber^cn  in 
mid-winter,  and  by  the   northern    drift   of  the 
])()1ar  pack  experienced  by  Lockwoodand  Pavy  in 
82*^  83  '  N.     It  may  not  inapproi)riately  be  added, 
in   contravention     of  Lieut.    Greely'.s   .sanguine 
view,  that  if  there  is  an  "ojjen  polar  sea,"  w'dch 
Hall  and  other  Arctic  visionaries  have  seen  the 
extremities  of  only  in  l-)rearnland — it  would  be 
such  an  arduous  task  to  reach  it,  during  the  pres- 
ent cycle  of  Tiine — it  is  encomj)assed  with   such 
monstrous  icebergs,  glaciers,  packs,  floes,  hum- 
mocks,   and  fierce,   biting,    hyperborean  gales, 


636 


PROGRESS  OF  ARCTIC  DISCOVERY. 


I    > 


hi     I 


winds,  and  frosty  breath  issuing  from  so  many 
immeasurable  degrees  below  zero — ^that  it  may 
be  pronounced  emphatically,  an  impracticable 
ocean  for  man  in  this  stage  of  his  existence. 
Only  the  freed  spirits  of  Arctic  explorers  will 
ever  find  it,  or  become  habiiues  and  messengers 
of  commerce  on  that  unexplored  main.  Only  the 
phantom  ships  seen  by  the  Ancient  Mariner  will 
ever  plow  its  waves.  Only  a  race  more  subli- 
mated than  the  Esquimaux  or  any  of  their  civ- 
ilized visitors  will  ever  bask  on  its  circompolar 
beach  or  luxuriate  in  its  balmy  islands.  As  the 
shades  of  Sir  Hendrik  Hudson's  lost  crews  were 
seen  by  Rip  Van  Winkle  carousing  at  midnight 
on  the  classic  heights  of  the  Hudson  river — so 
perhaps  some  future  sleeper  may  discover  the 
ghosts  of  Sir  John  Franklin  and  his  men  among 
the  Hesperides  of  the  Polar  Basin. 

Still,  there  are  earnest  believers  in  the  practi- 
cability of  reaching  the  Pole.  The  latest  project 
is  that  of  Col.  Gilder,  the  associate  of  Lieut. 
Schwatka  in  his  famous  Arctic  journey.  Col. 
Gilder  proposes,  June-July  1886,  to  make  a  dash 
for  the  Pole  on  foot.  He  describes  his  plan  as 
follows: 

I  shall  embark  on  a  whaler  from  New  Bedford  or  New 
London  bound  for  the  north,  and  enter  either  Hudson 
bay  or  Cumberland  inlet,  where  I  will  gather  a  party  of 
natives  and  as  many  dogs  as  I  can  secure.    I  shall  then 

gut  my  whole  equipage  on  board  of  a  Scotch  steam  whaler, 
ecause  these  vessels  go  as  far  into  the  north  water  each 
year  as  possible.  I  then  propose  to  be  landed  at  the  most 
northerly  point  they  reach.  Here  I  will  make  a  station 
and  pass  one  winter,  having  perhaps  previously  wintered 
at  the  point  where  I  gathered  together  my  party.  From 
this  station  I  will,  during  the  following  spring,  move 
northward  to  Fort  Conger,  in  Lady  Franklin  Bay,  where 
Greely  spent  two  of  his  three  winters  in  the  Arctic.  At 
Fort  Conger,  as  I  am  advise  1  by  Lieutenant  Greely,  I  will 
find  ample  stores  of  civilized  food  for  my  small  party,  this 
being  only  auxiliary  to  the  game  that  forms  the  chief  diet 
of  these  people.  From  the  very  minute  report  of  the  con- 
ditions found  in  all  that  vicinity  as  given  in  Lieutenant 
Greely 's  *  Three  Years  of  Arctic  Service,'  I  have  little  fear 


LAST  WORDS. 


637 


liet 
m- 

lUt 


of  finding  plenty  of  land  and  sea  game  for  such  a  party  aa 
I  expect  to  have  with  me.  The  native  hunteifi  and  dog 
drivers  will,  as  usual,  take  with  them  their  entire  families 
—the  old  men  and  women  and  the  children,  I  hope  to  be 
landed  by  the  Scotch  steamer  not  a  great  distance  from 
Cape  Isabella  or  Cape  Sabine.  I  feel  confident  of  a  good 
share  of  sucess ;  for  if  T  find  the  route  to  Fort  Conger  im- 
practicable I  can  easily  reach  land  believed  to  exist,  but 
not  yet  discovered,  between  Grinnell  Land  and  Prince 
Patrick  Island.  If,  however,  I  succeed  in  reaching  Fort 
Conger— and  I  know  no  reason  why  I  should  not— i  mean 
to  make  a  dai^hfor  the  Pole  over  the  route  taken  by  Beau- 
mont, of  Sir  George  Nares'  expedition,  and  Lockwood,  of 
Greely's  expedition.  Then,  with  the  advantage  of  the 
skilled  Esquimau  assistants,  I  hope  to  go  beyond  the  high- 
est latitude  yet  reached.  I  can,  I  think,  at  any  rate  es- 
tablish the  northern  point  of  Greenland." 

LAST  WORDS.— HOW  LIEUT.  GREELY  DESCRIBES  THE  RETREAT 
FROM  FORT  CONGER,  THE  LANDING  AT  OAPC  SABINE,  LIFE 
AND  SUFFERINGS  THERE,  AND  THE  RESCUE.  WHEN  HOPE, 
WHICH  "SPRINGS  ETERNAL  IN  THE  HUMAN  BREAST,"  WAS 
KEKINDLED  ANEW  IN  THE  MORIBUND  SURVIVORS  BY  THE 
SHRILL  BLAST  OF  THE  "THETIS'"  WHISTLE-  OUNCE  OP  PRE- 
VENTION-LONDON GEOGRAPHICAL  SOCIETY'S  MEDALS  TO 
LIEUT.  GREELY  AND  SERGEANT  BRAINARD. 

In  Feb.  1883,  preparations  for  the  retreat  were 
made  by  establishincr  a  depot  at  Cape  Baird,  12 
miles  south.  Day  after  day  the  anxious  men 
looked  off  over  Lady  Franklin  Bay,  expecting  the 
ice  to  open — so  that  they  might  begin  their 
journey  toward  home.  Atlast,Aug.  19th,  1883, the 
welcome  news  that  the  ice  was  oj)en  was  brought. 
That  very  day  the  party  embarked  in  the  little 
steam  launch.  Their  dogs  had  to  be  left  behind 
with  four  barrels  of  pork  and  some  seal  oil  to 
keep  them  from  immediate  starvation.  The  Bay 
was  crossed  to  Cape  Baird,  a  distanceof  13  miles, 
and  then  the  western  coast  of  Grinnell  Land  was 
followed  south  as  far  as  Cape  Hawkes.  Large 
qiiantities  of  heavy  ice  were  met;  and  extreme 
was  the  danger  every  moment  that  the  little 
launch  would  be  crushed.  Several  times  all  the 
boats  were  nearly  lost.  The  suffering  of  the 
men  was  great.  They  were  now  within  50  miles 
of  Cape  Sabine.  Striking  from  Cape  Hawkes 
direct  for  Bates  Island,  the  party  was  caught  in 


U-i 


638 


PROGRESS  OF  ARCTIC  DISCOVERY. 


M' 


the  ice  pack  and  frozen  in  lo  miles  south  of  Cape 
Hawkes.  In  13  days  they  drifted  south  25  miles 
on  the  floes,  suffering  horribly  from  the  cold. 
So  they  drifted  to  within  1 1  miles  of  Cape  Sabine, 
and  were  obliged  to  abandon  the  steam  launch 
on  Sept.  loth.  The  pack  now  remained  motionless 
for  three  days,  and  several  times  the  party  got 
within  two  or  three  miles  of  Cape  Sabine,  only 
to  be  drifted  back  by  the  south-west  gales.  Five 
seals  were  killed  and  eaten  while  the  men  were 
drifting  about.  Eventually  'a  heavy  north-west 
gale  drove  them  by  Cape  Sabine,  within  a  mile 
of  Brevoort  Island,  bvit  they  could  not  land. 
But  on  Sept,  22nd,  there  arose  the  most  terrific 
gale  they  had  yet  seen  on  the  Arctic  ocean. 
The  ice  floe  was  driven  hither  and  thither  by 
the  tempest,  and  the  waves  washed  over  them 
again  and  again,  the  spray  freezing  to  them  and 
causing  intense  suffering  to  the  men.  A  night 
of  inky  blackness  came  on.  The  wind  threw  the 
heavy  floes  together,  and  crash  after  crash  of  ice 
breaking  from  their  own  floe,  warned  the  men 
that  death  was  near  to  them.  No  man  kaew  at 
what  moment  the  floe  might  break  up  and  the 
waters  engulf  them.  The  first  faint  light  of 
dawn  showed  them  that  little  remained  of  the 
floe  upon  which  they  were.  The  sea  washed 
another  close  to  them.  Closer  it  came,  and  at 
last,  at  the  word,  the  men  succeeded  in  getting 
upon  it.  The  storm  slowly  subsided,  and  they 
gained  land  at  Esquimaux  Point,  near  Baird's  In- 
let, on  Sept*  29th.  Here  winter  quarters  were 
built,  and  scouts  were  sent  to  Cape  Isabella  and 
Cape  Sabine.  In  a  few  days  they  returned. 
Their  report  sent  a  thrill  of  horror  to  every 
heart.  At  Cape  Isabella  and  Cape  Sabine  were 
found  only  1,800  rations,  and  Garlington's 
records  they  learned  the  fate  of  the  "Proteus." 
Every  one  knew  that  death  must  come  to  nearly 
every  one  of  the  party  long  before  the  ship  of 
rescue  could  force  its  way  into  Melville  Bay. 


P!'M|FWiP*Wl*-»«»f»''» 


FIRM  AND  FAINT   HEARTED   RESCUERS. 


639 


of 
the 
led 

at 
ing 

ey 
In- 


n 


ere 


rly 
of 
ay. 


Efforts  were  made  to  sustain  the  spirits  of  the 
men  by  lectures  and  light  reading.  On  Oct.  1 5th, 
the  party  removed  to  Cape  Sabine.  On  Jan.  1 8th, 
1884,  Cross  died  of  scurvy.  In  April  the  rations 
issued  had  dwindled  to  four  ounces  of  meat 
and  six  ounces  of  bread.  Man  after  man  died, 
and  all  hope  had  fled  when,  on  that  stormy  day, 
June  22nd,  1884,  the  blast  of  the  **  Thetis'"  whistle 
roused  the  survivors  from  the  lethargy  of  ap- 
proaching death  1 

L<et  the  sad  story  end  with  this  reminder: — 
If  the  first  and  second  expeditions  for  the  relief 
of  Greely  had  been  managed  as  well  and  pushed 
as  energetically  as  the  third  expedition  under 
Commander  Schley,  Fort  Conger  would  have 
been  reached,  or  adequate  depots  of  supplies 
left  at  Cape  Sabine;  or,  better  still,  the  instruc- 
tions of  Secretary  Chandler  and  the  expectations 
of  Lieut.  Greely  accomplished  by  Lieut.  Garling- 
ton  and  Commander  Wildes  in  1883,  by  estab- 
lishing a  relief  party  at  Littleton  Island,  with 
abundant  supplies — *' where  the  main  duty  would  be 
to  keep  their  telescopes  on  Cape  Sabine  and  the  land 
to  the  north-'vard"  to  catch,  the  first  sight  of  the 
weary  wanderers  from  Lady  Franklin  Bay,  re- 
turning south  for  food  and  shelter,  as  they  were 
under  orders  to  do,  and  actually  did,  on  Sept. 
29th,  1883,  without  finding  their  countrymen 
there  to  welcome  them.  It  will  be  remembered 
that  the  "Yantic"  under  Commander  Frank 
Wildes,  did  easily  reach  Littleton  Island  on  Aug. 
3rd,  1883,  but  left  no  provisions  there  for  Greely. 
Lieut.  Garlington's  instructions  from  Secretary 
Chandler  were :  If  it  should  become  clearly  ap- 
parent that  the  vessel  cannot  be  pushed  throug-h 
to  Lady  Franklin  Bay,  you  will  retreat  from  your 
advanced  position  and  land  your  party  and  stores 
at  or  near  Life  Boat  Cove  (at  Littleton  Island), 
discharge  the  relief  vessel,  and  remain  with 
your  party  until  relieved  next  year.  From 
this  station  at  Littleton  Island,   endeavor,   as 


640 


MIOGRESS  OF  ARCTIC  MSCOTIfRT. 


Ill  ! 


I*' 


soon  as  possible,  to  communicate  with  I^ieut. 
Greely  by  sledge  parties;  the  men  not  so  em- 
ployed to  lose  no  time  in  preparing  a  house  for 
the  whole  party,  and  securing  the  stores  pre- 
paratory to  the  arrival  of  Lfieut.  Greely."  Yet, 
under  these  positive  orders,  though  Commander 
Wildes  actually  visited  L^ittleton  Island  in  search 
of  lyieut.  Garlington,  and  the  latter  when,  found 
at  Upernavik  by  the  **  Yantic,"  after  the  burn- 
ing of  the  **  Proteus,"  might  have  gone  in  that 
vessel  back  to  Littleton  Island, — *'noattempt  was 
made,"  says  Secretary  Chandler,  *^by  either  Lieut. 
Garlington  or  Commander  Wildes  to  establish  a  relief 
party  at  Littleton  Island,  for  which  point  Lieut. 
Greely  was  under  orders  to  start  not  later  than 
Sept.  ist" — and,  it  may  be  added,  did  start  on 
Aug.  19th,  1883.  Perhaps  one  chief  reason  for 
the  unfortunate  ^asro  of  1883,  was  the  failure  to 
start  from  St.  John's  in  time.  Lieut.  Schley 
started  from  New  York  in  1884,  about  May  ist, 
and  reached  Cape  Sabine  as  early  as  June  22nd, 
by  which  most  gracious  Providence  he  saved  the 
lives  of  five  men,  and  prolonged  the  lives  of  two 
others — none  of  whom  could  have  survived  48 
hours  longer  without  such  timely  aid.  But 
neither  the  "Proteus"  nor  "Yantic"  left  St. 
John's  in  1883  until  June  27th,  and  they  did  not 
leave  Disco  Island  until  July  15th  and  26th. 
Whose  fault  was  this?  that  of  the  Navy  Depart- 
ment or  the  expeditionary  forces  ?  Perhaps  all 
the  disasters  to  the  *' Proteus,"  and  to  Greely 
and  his  twenty-four  companions,  might  have 
been  avoided  if  the  relief  expedition  of  1883  had 
sailed  from  St.  John's  and  pushed  right  on  to 
Littleton  Island  and  Cape  Sabine  one  month  or 
six  weeks  earlier.  But,  starting  late  as  they 
did,  it  appears  to  the  impartial  critic  of  1886, 
that  the  sole  purpose  of  the  expedition,  the  loca- 
tion of  a  relief  party  with  ample  supplies  at  Lit- 
tleton Island,  after  the  failure  to  reach  Greely 
at  Fort  Conger,  might  have  been  efifected  if  the 


■v-^*-WJ!V*wr«ii«5^|aP?*<Mpi*r  '^■*Nt-"'!-**r-  mr^iW  WiMiO**** 


or 


ri: 


MEDALS  AWARDED. 


641 


specific  instructions  under  which  it  set  out  had 
been  followed  by  its  commanders ;  and  that 
when  Lieut.  Greely  and  his  men  landed  from 
the  ice  floes  on  Cape  Sabine,  Sept.  29th,  1883,  if 
there  had  been  across  the  open  water  of  Smith's 
Sound,  at  I^ittleton  Island,  a  comfortable  house, 
full  supplies  of  provisions  and  clothing,  and  re- 
lief men  on  the  lookout  for  them,  ready  to  cross 
in  boats  and  convey  them  to  this  snug  winter 
home — there  would  have  been  no  horrible  tale 
of  suffering,  starvation  and  death  to  relate  of 
the  Greely  party,  and  no  censure  to  bestow  on 
the  expedition  which,  warned  of  Greely's  per- 
il— '*  put  their  hands  to  the  plow,  and  then  turned  hack." 

Royal  Geographical  Society's  Medals. — lyieut. 
Greely's  and  Sergeant  Brainard's  conspicuous 
achievements  in  the  field  of  exploration  have 
been  appropriately  honored,  at  home  and  abroad. 
Two  out  of  the  three  honors  annually  bestowed 
by  the  London  (Royal)  Geographical  Society, 
have  been  given  in  1886,  to  Greely  and  his  brave 
subordinate  Brainard.  The  chief  of  these 
honors,  the  Founder's  Gold  Medal,  was  presented 
to  lyieut.  Greely.  Sergeant  Brainard,  who,  with 
Lieut.  Lockwood,  made  the  furthest  northing 
ever  attained,  received  the  Back  Grant.  Lock- 
wood  perished  at  Camp  Clay;  if  he  had  survived,  a 
first  honor  would  have  been  awarded  to  him. 

American  explorers  have  received  the  high- 
est honors  of  both  the  Royal  Geographical 
Society,  and  the  Paris  Societe  de  Geographic, 
during  the  latter  half  of  the  nineteenth  cent- 
ury— as  has  been  noted  in  previous  pages  of 
this  narrative;  and  undoubtedly  they  have 
earned  the  most  enduring  title  to  commenda- 
tion, and  have  achieved  greater  successes  and 
borne  heavier  burdens  in  the  Arctic  zones  than 
the  explorers  of  any  other  country.  Nor  will  it 
be  forgotten  that  the  United  States  has  contribut- 
ed more  national  aid,  sent  out  and,  unfortunate- 
ly, sacrificed,  more  of  its   u^val  and  military 


642 


PROGRESS  OF  ARCTIC  DISCOVERY. 


IS 


1 


K    \ 


officers,  and  fitted  out  greater  expeditions — for 
Arctic  researches,  during  the  same  period,  than 
any  other  power.  It  is  curious  to  note  that 
Henry  Clay  advocated  the  first  appropriation  in 
1850,  and  that  Jefferson  Davis  opposed  it  on  the 
game  grounds  that  led  him  into  the  fatal  blun- 
der of  secessions. — Lieut.  C.  F.  Wilkes  received 
the  Royal  Geographical  Society's  medal  in  1848. 
Dr.  E.  K.Kane  was  awarded  the  highest  medal  of 
the  L^ondon  Society  in  1856,  and  of  the  Paris  Geo- 
graphical Society  in  1858.  Dr.  Isaac  I.  Hayes  was 
the  gold  medallist  of  the  Royal  Society  in  .1867, 
and  oi  the  Soa'e/e  cle  Geographt'e  of  Paris,  in  1869. 
Captain  C.  F.  Hale,  was  awarded  the  gold  medal 
of  the  "  Roquette  Foundation  "  by  the  Paris  Geo- 
graphical Society  in  1 874-1 875.  Lieut.  F. 
Schwatka  also  received  the  last  named  medal  in 
1883.  The  list  closes  with  Greely  and  Brainard 
in  1886 — and  these  two  almost  martyrs  to  mili- 
tary duty  and  to  the  thirst  for  knowledge  of 
the  Pole  are  not  at  least  among  the  seven. 

Will  the  surviving  Arctic  explorers  now  rest 
on  their  well-earned  laurels — or  does  the  spirit 
of  adventure  still  urge  them  on?  Capt.  Hall 
said  that  he  who  has  once  beheld  the  eternal  ice 
will  return  again  to  look  at  it. — Col.  Wm.  H. 
Gilder,  after  a  short  respite,  is  again  ejt  rouie  for 
the  Pole,  with  no  backing  except  his  own  in- 
domitable pluck.  Will  he  find  there  Dr.  Hayes' 
"open  polar  sea  ? "  Or  the  Garden  of  Eden  which 
Eieut.  Greely,  in  his  lecture  before  the  Scotch 
Geographical  Society  (1885),  located  at  the 
North  Pole  ?  Or  the  Summer  Island  and  the  Lost 
Race  of  the  Russian  Legend?  Or  the  Magnetic 
World  described  by  Maurus  Jokai,  the  Hungarian 
poet-novelist, — as  the  habitation  of  a  people  who 
"love  one  another  truly.  When  two  hearts  have 
found  each  other  nothing  can  ever  separate 
them  again  except  death.  If  one  of  the  lovers 
dies  before  the  other  he  or  she  does  not  soar 
way  to  another  star  in  order  to  be  bom    again. 


OASIS    DISCOVERED. 


643 


without  the  other;  he  or  she  floats  round  the 
other,  lives  in  the  other's  heart,  and  waits  till 
the  other  dies  that  they  may  together  take 
their  flight  to  the  new  land  of  eternal  bliss." — 
No  other  such  delectable  abode  now  exists. 

The  Oasis  Greely  and  Lockwood  saw  in    Grinnell 

Land. 

Setting  romance  aside,  there  are  good  reasons 
for  believing  that  oases  are  still  occasionally 
found  in  the  Arctic  regions;  and,  as  we  have 
already  shown  the  coal  beds  and  other  signs 
which  have  been  discovered  there,  afford  indub- 
itable evidence  that,  in  some  distant  epoch,  a 
luxuriant  vegetation  and  genial  climate  pre- 
vailed at  or  near  the  Pole.  Lieut.  Greely,  in  his 
lately  published  book,  describes  the  oasis  he 
found  in  Grinnell  Land,  within  the  ice  walls  of 
the  coast  regions.  Sir  Joseph  Hooker,  in  1876, 
expressed  the  opinion  that  Grinnell  Land,  is  not 
ice-capped,  as  a  large  part  of  Gree-nland  is,  but 
that  it  is  an  ice-girt  island  within  which  vegeta- 
tion and  game  flourish.  The  district  correspond- 
ing with  this  description,  where  Lieuts.  Greely 
and  Lockwood  saw  little  snow  or  ice  even  in 
April,  is  north  of  81°  north  latittide,  extending 
about  50  miles  north  and  south,  and  nearly  from 
sea  to  sea  east  and  west.  Here  they  discovered 
a  large  freshwater  lake,  a  big  river,  and  many 
long  valleys  where,  latet'  in  the  season,  flour- 
ished a  '* luxuriant  vegetation,"  which  served  as 
pasturage  for  a  good  deal  of  game,  including 
many  herds  of  musk  oxen.  In  these  grassy 
valleys,  within  about  600  miles  of  the  Pole,  were 
found  abundant  animal  life,  and  numerous  but- 
terflies, bumble-bees,  and  "devil's  darning 
needles"  enjoying  the  warm  summer  day.  The 
old  legends  of  the  North  and  South  Pole,  which 
novelists  and  poets  have  depicted  with  such 
picturesque  effect,  may  yet  be  verified  by  future 
explorers,  if  not  by  Col.  Gilder  himself. 


